Do you fear the Shadows
by Chooocolate
Summary: How powerful could Shikamaru have been if he had a reason to push himself above and beyond his limits. How different of an avenger would he be then Sasuke if he had the same goals. Watch Shikamaru grow with the Nara clan's dark secret following him along the way.. Darker shinobi world, Friendships with Sasuke and Naruto, Darker Hiruzen, Darker Jiraiya.
1. Heartbreak

Naruto is owned by kishimoto not by me... unfortunatly as i would not allows the entirely moronic twists he puts in but oh well.

_Like this = _thought

**Like this = **Kyuubi or other scary monster talk.

* * *

8 year old Shikamaru Nara sighed as he walked home alone from the academy, usually he had at least the company of his best friend Akimichi Chouji but he had caught the flu and had not been to the academy for several days. Without Chouji as a buffer it had been way more troublesome to slack off and get away from class and he had been forced to actually stay awake all day which was just such a drag. It wasn't like he didn't know the material already anyway since the academy moved at a snails pace for anyone with clan training. The Nara clan was just one of the many clans that made up konohagakure the village hidden in the leaves and as they all did they trained their children from a young age to be proud shinobi of Konoha.

Hands in his pockets he made his way past the intricately carved wooden fences onto Nara land and towards his family house making sure to walk slowly to get back just in time for dinner but not early enough that there would be time to have to wash up, there was always a lot of planning involved in getting the most out of his sloth. He spent a lot of mental work to plan how to get out of troublesome things like that and he wouldn't want it wasted by walking too fast.

As he walked past the woods that obstructed the view of his old two story house he frowned as he noticed that there were no lights on anywhere. The deer that always hung around near their family was nowhere to be seen even though his dad always snuck them extra food around dinner time either. The place should be crawling with noise and happily eating deer and it made him shiver suddenly feeling cold as he unconsciously picked up his pace a bit.

He couldn't remember the last time there had been no deer at all approach him when he entered the grounds. Walking up to the modest two story building that was his home he started feeling even more at unease as he noticed none of the lights were on, a glance around showed that the other houses in the compound that were within sight had a normal amount of activity which for Nara's meant they were just getting up from a small nap to have their dinners. There were only three houses in sight and each just barely as they all liked their privacy and generally didn't bother each other much.

Could they have been called away for a meeting he thought as he slowly opened the door. Even as he thought of it Shikamaru knew they hadn't been as they would have had a family member watch the house to be there for Shikamaru when he got home as they always had before, ninja student or not he was still 8. Either way his father was the jounin commander of Konoha while his mother was a retired Chuunin there were simply no reason why they would be in any kind of shinobi meeting together at the same time.

He was sure that if a war had suddenly broke out he would have noticed it simply by the populace and shinobi radiating tension on his walk home. Since there was no war one of his parents should definitely be home and he was just being paranoid for nothing.

"Kaasan? Tousan? I'm home."

He was met only with silence as he entered his home and a tangy smell he couldn't quite place, he could feel the tension as his muscles started twitching ready for battle as he had been conditioned too since he could walk. It could still just be his parents taking a long nap though so he ignored his body's signals. He took off his sandals not wanting to get yelled at for mucking up the floors again, especially with how troublesome it would be to clean it after. If his hands were shaking as he put them away he refused to notice.

Feeling slightly out of place in his own home without the bustling of his mother he slowly made his way to the kitchen. If there was a note left for him or perhaps a dinner made for him then all the questions floating around in his mind would be answered and he could just shrug of his paranoia and call an end to all this needless worrying. His eyes by their own volition kept checking the exits for possible escape strategies while his mind went a hundred miles trying to reassure himself.

As soon as he entered the hallway the smell became stronger and he had to lift his shirt up to cover his nose as he slowly walked towards the kitchen his eyes twitching and looking everywhere for the source. He might not have been in the academy long but he grew up in a ninja clan and there was definitely something wrong and he couldn't ignore it anymore, he was more scared than he would admit of what it could be as his mind went trough all the scenarios of what he would find in the kitchen having finally recognized the smell as blood. _Please let it be a slaughtered animal that they had to leave in the house because they were called somewhere please let it be_ _that_ he chanted in his mind as he opened the kitchen door.

As soon as he opened the door he started screaming his eyes wide and his whole body shaking. He had known what he would find somewhere in his mind but it didn't help the pain, the helplessness, the terror of seeing your parents painted over the kitchen, the only reason he knew it was them was their severed heads sitting on the kitchen table. Thankfully he lasted only a few seconds before passing out his screams already having Nara clansmen rushing towards the house. His last thoughts before unconsciousness took him was why would someone do this.

* * *

Sarutobi Hiruzen the Sandaime Hokage of Konohagakure really hated these kinds of days, sitting and waiting for a child to wake to comfort him for the brutal slaughter of his family, something that should have never happened inside Konoha's walls, inside a clan compound no less. Shikamaru had not woken in the past three days the medics proclaiming that the shock was somehow keeping him out until his mind dealt with the trauma. Which when it was a Nara's mind could mean instant computing or taking weeks going trough every detail. Waiting silently in vigil with him was the new clan head of the Nara's, Nara Keibi an uncle of young Shikamaru's and someone who would hopefully be able to make Shikamaru see he still had family left. He would hate to have another child going the same way reports were already showing young Uchiha Sasuke were going after the Uchiha massacre just a few months prior. Two times in such a short period tragedy struck Konoha, he was getting too old for this kind of responsibility but there was no one else that could do it.

Keibi a huge bald man covered in scars had made efforts to speak to the venerable Hokage several times already but had stopped each time not wanting to break the silence, Sarutobi could appreciate the self control it took not to ask any details of the murders when Keibi had been so close to his brother. Then again Keibi was unlike most Nara's as while he was highly intelligent he had also always been very ambitious and hardworking, as well as more outgoing. He had made ANBU at 16 and had served for over a decade before joining the regular forces again, an ex ANBU knew the value of need to know information. He as the new clan head and an extremely loyal shinobi deserved to know at least the bare facts though..

Sarutobi sighed tipping his hat down over his face slightly and turned towards the Nara " You may ask your questions Keibi-san, as long as its with the understanding you will never tell another soul, too much is at stake." He frowned slightly looking down at Shikamaru wondering if he would ever be able to know the truth. Probably not as they could not risk the young Nara taking the information and doing something stupid and starting a war.

"Who and why, Hokage-Sama that is the only things i want to know. Who and why?" Keibi said his fists clenching as he thought about his brother who hadn't gone on active missions since Shikamaru had been born and he had ascended to Jounin Commander. No one believed they were in any more danger then any regular shinobi was.

"Reports from several sources including Jiraiyas spy network have implicated Suna, the evidence isn't enough to make demands of reparations but from the way they were murdered and how we were infiltrated we are fairly sure who did it and that simple but at the same time hard question of why." Sarutobi said heavily.

"Who!?" Keibi asked with murder burning in his dark eyes his dominant hand reaching for a kunai that wasn't there as everyone had to remove their weapons before going into the special victims wing of the hospital.

Sarutobi glanced at him sadness very prevalent in his features. "That i can't tell you Keibi-san as we can not be 100 percent sure and any revenge action from the Nara clan could very well start another shinobi war." _No matter what_ Sarutobi thought to himself _there can be no revenge action against such a prominent member of Suna or everything I've worked for will disappear as the war drums will start again._ _As much as it saddens me Shikaku and Yoshino are not worth a war._ He glanced at Keibi.. _He can never know who or he will find a way to either do it himself or put a hit out, loyal as he might be his first loyalty would always be his big brother, they had always been very close._

Keibi frowned as he stared at his young nephew laying comatose in the hospital bed. "With all due respect Hokage-sama but why shouldn't we go to war. They assassinated a clan head and his wife not only that but the jounin commander of Konoha!" He slammed his hands against his knees in anger. "They are our allies but they, according to you snuck into our village, our home and murdered my brother and his wife and orphaned my nephew and you say we should do nothing at all?"

"I know how you must feel we have all felt the passing of a loved one before, but in the end loss is an ever-ending cycle in this world we live in and we cannot start a war where thousands would die over two deaths." Sarutobi reasoned with a comforting hand on Keibi's shoulder.

"At least tell me why they went after Shikaku instead of any of the other clan heads or much more logical targets like Hatake Kakashi or yourself. It just doesn't make any sense why they would go after him." Keibi exclaimed sharply. His brother was dead and he would be damned if he could not at least get a reason for the cause. And no matter his loyalties to the old Hokage if he got even a clue to the identity of the assassin he would move the earth itself to hang the bastard. There were ways to kill someone without implicating Konoha.

Sarutobi stood up slowly and walked over to the window hands behind his back as he watched the villagers of Konoha move about not knowing how close to the brink of war they had come, how many like Danzou his old rival had advocated for revenge before he had been able to shut them down.. "As you know the Wind Daimyo is slowly strangulating Suna economically, myself and my advisors believed this was a cost efficient way for them to show that they are still valuable to wind and impress their daimyo while decreasing our value to him.

As for why Shikaku he was the perfect target." Sarutobi paused and sadly gazed over the still form of Shikamaru. " The status of jounin commander would ensure it was an impressive enough kill while his inactive status for the last few years would make him a much easier target then myself or Kakashi the other two you could mention on the top of your head that would be good targets. As for other clan heads the only other viable target would have been Hyuuga Hiashi and infiltrating the Hyuuga compound after the kumo incident is not something any nation would dare to try and pull off, on the other hand the Nara compound is very spread out and more loosely guarded."

Sarutobi turned back to face Keibi again a small frown on his wizened old face. " Since we have received quite a few mission requests from wind this was the perfect way to embarrass us in the eyes of the wind damiyo as well as strengthen their own stock with the man. If it will work with such a stubborn man who can really say, but in the end we look the fool while Suna only gains. Kumo and Iwa will silently applaud them for striking at us so easily and will join them in a heartbeat should we show any aggression back."

Keibi rubbed his face tiredly his rage ebbing away. "Politics, tch." He spat on the floor now understanding why they could not strike back fully, it would only result in wind fully backing Suna and the other villages rallying behind Suna to take down the aggressor Konoha. Fucking politics and shadow games how he hated it.

Neither one of them had noticed that during their talk Shikamaru had woken up, normally shinobi as skilled as the Sandaime and Keibi would have noticed the change in breathing and body movements, but if there was anything Shikamaru had perfected it was faking sleep it was about the only thing he had learned in the academy so far. Even so he had a hard time keeping calm as he found out his life had been destroyed, his family murdered because some politician was fucking around with their own shinobi village who had chosen his father as the sacrificial lamb to look better politically.

He swore then and there he would get back at Suna some day and that bastard that ruled wind as well. It would take a lot of hard work which was very much against how he worked but it would be too troublesome to just let this slide and disrespect his family by slacking off and not getting revenge. The world was going to get to see a Nara work their ass off and Suna wouldn't know what hit them. He stopped faking sleep and faked some hysterics to throw off the Hokage and his uncle to the fact he already knew who was responsible. Although it was hard to stop the anger from leaking out when the Hokage told him they had no idea who the perpetrators were and had no proof or clues at all so they were not likely to ever find the murderers.

Shikamaru didn't know what was worse the fact that Suna was getting away with it or the fact that his own Hokage was covering for them...

* * *

Deep under Konoha in a place one could only reach after going through miles of tunnels and several security checkpoints and trapped corridors an old man covered in bandages was sitting calmly behind his desk reading reports while waiting for one of his operatives to report back.

One second he was the only one in the room and the next he was joined by a man wearing ANBU style gear with a plain white mask kneeling on the floor in front of his desk. "Apologies for the delay Danzou-sama but the boy's uncle spent several hours in the hospital room and i could not get in until he left the premises as his chakra sensing capabilities is reportedly strong."

Danzou's one visible eye moved from the reports to the operative he had sent to check on the Nara boy. "Status?" he asked calmly.

"As soon as his uncle left i used a genjutsu to disorient him while i searched his mind for his feelings on the murders. The boy managed to listen in to the Hokage explaining the guilty party to Nara Keibi and he is disillusioned with the Hokage and his uncle for letting Suna get away with it, he plans to train and get stronger before taking revenge. I could get no more from the boy without risking discovery however as his mind started to react to the genjutsu."

"Hmm.." Danzou grunted as he slowly read the reports in front of him detailing the evidence of the murders of the jounin commander of Konoha. Nara Shikaku would have been an excellent successor to take over Root if he wasn't such an avid follower of that damn Sarutobi's peace mongering. His son however... He had not yet been indoctrinated in the same way and now did not trust the Hokage. If he was even half the man his father was he certainly held potential, especially if groomed properly.

"Fuu.. from what you saw in his mind do you believe this boy would be adverse to Root training?"

Yamanaka Fuu hesitated slightly and Danzou zeroed in on that hesitation immediately. "Speak Fuu." He ordered sharply.

Fuu bowed his head. "Pardon me Danzou-sama i do not believe he would accept the same training as our recruits go trough as he would not trust us enough for that kind of commitment."

Danzou scoffed slightly placing the reports down on his desk. "We would not be able to indoctrinate him either way as he is in the spotlight now and Sarutobi would not let him disappear into the shadows. What i am asking is if he would be adverse to training from Root agents to prepare him for his quest as well as to groom him for a future position in Root once that old monkey dies."

"I believe he would accept that kind of premise Danzou-sama as long as he is clear on what we expect of him, his trust is broken and his mind is already watching everyone around him with suspicion looking for any way to get ahead."

"I will think on this some more you are excused Fuu." The Root operative immediately shunshined out of the office leaving Danzou to his thoughts.

Konoha needed Root more then ever now but he was getting old and none of his operatives really had the intelligence or strategic thinking to take his position. If the Nara showed promise he could be the ideal candidate to replace him one day. With Konoha weakening every day from the senile old monkey playing Hokage running everything in the ground he was more aware then ever of the need for an organization like Root. If the Uchiha debacle hadn't been enough they had been forced to endure the shame of the hyuuga incident where they bowed to Kumo despite them being the aggressors and now this... A clan head and jounin commander dead at the hands of Suna and again that fool just bent over rather then risk upsetting any other countries.

The Konoha the Shodaime and Nidaime envisioned was surely not this Konoha of weak submissive shinobi. Yes... he would offer young Shikamaru training and if he excelled he would take over personally and groom the boy to strike from the shadows and ensure no country would ever again dare enter Konoha with dagger in hand.

* * *

The hospital was still keeping him two days after he woke up just to make sure he wouldn't go into shock again. Shikamaru scoffed at their patronizing but accepted the respite before he had to deal with his uncle and the academy again, no one except the clans would have any kind of information on what happened so at least he wouldn't be treated like Sasuke. He shuddered at that thought.

His time was spent playing shogi against himself as he thought of what he could do to improve himself. Obviously slacking off at the academy had to stop he would never be allowed any advanced material unless he showed that he was way above the rest of the class. As troublesome as it was he would also have to spend more then a few hours sweating improving his body as he was without a doubt the weakest in strength in his class. He scowled as he pictured all the work he would have to do to even reach an acceptable level compared to someone like Sasuke who had trained his whole life. Troublesome.

His thoughts turned towards how to best manipulate his uncle into teaching him. Not only the clan techniques but whatever other skills he had acquired during the years. If his uncle found out about his plans for revenge he would never teach him thinking he would go off and get himself killed on some half-assed plan. A crooked grin made its way onto his face for a second, a Nara making half-assed plans perish the thought he would be exiled forever.

He almost snapped one of the pieces as he moved it as he tried to come up with any excuse that could have his uncle train him now without it sounding like he wanted revenge as it would be entirely against his personality to work harder. His uncle was no idiot and would see trough any poorly veiled excuses so he needed to come up with something spectacular, but try as he might nothing came to mind that would fool himself if he heard it. If its not something that could fool him it stood no chance against his uncle. If only he could leave the hospital and get home before his uncle searched the place, he knew where his father had hidden some of his own personal jutsu techniques and even if he could not perform any of them anytime soon he knew he would not get them at all if his uncle found them.

His best bet would simply be to master everything the academy had as soon as possible and if that did not drop something else in his lap he would have to figure out what would, and... How far he would go to get it. If only he could get those scrolls... His hands twitched as the door opened and he fixed on a neutral expression on his face, it wouldn't do to let the nurses see him upset the harpies would probably keep him here for a month. He could swear they enjoyed keeping people imprisoned here.

His eyes turned back to the shogi board as Chouji entered hesitantly, he had forgotten that the nurses were allowing visitors today. Suddenly he felt like wringing Chouji's neck how could he come here mocking him with his happy family and his easy life it should have been Chouji not him that had lost everything, his parents didn't deserve death had not Chouji's dad killed hundreds of enemies in the last war using his giant Jutsu why wasn't he the target!. He had to mentally kick himself back as he admonished himself that it was not Chouji's fault he was an orphan now, it was Suna and the Sandaime that had ensured that and his friend was too nice to trusting to deserve any pain.

He did not like the way he had immediately shifted blame it pointed to an unstable mind and that worried Shikamaru very much as the only thing he had going for him was his mind.

"Hey Shika i brought some snacks for you." Chouji said quietly as he sat down at the foot of the bed, Shikamaru just noticing the wicker basket filled with fruits and various snacks. A glance to the door showed the shadow of someone that could only be Choza Akimichi standing guard outside the door. He resisted a snort, so he had to be watched so he didn't lash out did he, how pathetic did they think he was. _Although... A voice in his head pointed out you just almost lashed out at Chouji.._

Sitting in silence Shikamaru grabbed an apple before moving yet another piece on the Shogi board, Chouji perfectly happy just sitting there being there for his friend just watched him play silently.

After a few minutes of silence Shikamaru looked at his friend. "Hey Chouji?" It felt slightly like using his friend but it was a good opportunity and he better get ready to push to get anything he could get anyway.

Chouji stopped pretending he was admiring the piece of art hanging on the hospital rooms wall that depicted a field of blossoming flowers, apparently it was supposed to be soothing for the patients. He turned towards Shikamaru. "Yeah?"

"I need a favour." He glanced towards the door meaningfully.

Chouji's eyes widened as he understood whatever his friend was asking his dad could not find out about. He hoped it wasn't anything dangerous as his father had warned him Shika might be a bit unstable for awhile. As long as it wasn't dangerous though he would do it for his first and only friend, he deserved nothing less.

Slowly writing down instructions on a notepad by his bed he kept his eyes on the door as he talked with Chouji. "I need you to get to my house and find some scrolls on meditation that my dad ha-..Had in his library." He winced slightly seeing the pity in his friends eyes. He turned the notepad around so Chouji could see what he had written slowly as to make as little sound as possible ignoring the pity.

Chouji nodded cheerfully. "Sure Shika I'll get them for you right away." He quickly glanced at the note before Shikamaru crumpled it up and nodded towards his friend before leaving the room. This he could do for his best friend and there should be nothing wrong with getting him his father's jutsu anyway, Chouji would want the same had his father passed away before teaching him them. Besides it wasn't like Shika would try and learn that stuff yet anyway he was too young.

Shikamaru ripped the note apart as soon as they left, on the note he had written down what Chouji really was looking for and where to find them. It wouldn't be more then a few personal techniques of his father's but it would be a start and that would be more then what he had before Chouji showed up. He felt slightly guilty using his friend in a manner that probably would get him in trouble if his uncle found him taking the scrolls, but his need was greater then any slight guilt he felt and its not like Chouji would be executed anyway. The worst he would get would be a fine or a suspension from the academy for a month or two. Compared to his suffering that was really something minor.

He returned to his game of shogi as he wondered what else he could find to circumvent any obstacles his uncle was sure to put in his way. He was not going to get beat in a game of intellect and subversion. He was the son of Nara Shikaku and shadows was his life and now the darkness would be his destiny... Suna would learn to fear the darkness. He grinned darkly oh yes they would learn..

* * *

Nara Keibi swore again as he moved over Konoha's rooftops trying to find his wayward nephew who had again skipped the academy. After having been released from the hospital and allowed back into the academy he had been proud to see that his nephew had started improving his academy standings although slightly saddened to see the personality change that made him so different from how Shikaku had been. Now though the side effect was that after a month of studying hard Shikamaru had already grasped the entire year and next years worth of theory and history that the academy taught and was therefore skipping classes to go train.

He knew Shikamaru was just looking for an outlet for his anger and pain but it was really grating on Keibi to be the one called in to chase the brat down every single god damn day. Especially as he was smart enough to never utilize the same area for training forcing Keibi to guess and more then often guess wrong on where he was. Spending his entire day chasing him down.

Because of the death of his parents it had been decided that the academy teachers should not be the ones to hunt down the wayward Nara, and unfortunately for Keibi with being his uncle the clan pretty much dumped him with the assignment. What was the damn point of being clan head anyway if you could be bullied into shit like this by the rest of the clan he thought as he entered training ground 24 the place he had found him yesterday and somewhere where there was a 15 percent chance he would have returned too as most people would not return to the same place to look when their used to their target moving around.

Sure enough as he exited the trees surrounding the small training ground he found a sweaty and dirty Shikamaru doing one armed push-ups with leafs covering his entire body from head to toe. Keibi raised an eyebrow impressed that the 8 year old could control his chakra enough to keep so many leafs on while doing a strenuous exercise. Especially as he knew that a month ago Shikamaru couldn't even hold one leaf still properly, and would probably have rather taken a knife in the gut then do one armed push-ups.

Bending down and picking up a good sized rock he tossed it in his hands a couple of times before striking Shikamaru in the head with it with an underhand throw. The swearing as Shikamaru dropped to the ground clutching his head all the leafs falling off was like music to his ears as he chuckled quietly.

"Oy, brat i have better things to do you know." He said menacingly as he walked over and bent over Shikamaru with a frown on his scarred face.

Shikamaru scoffed as he stood up dusting off his pants not that it did much good with how dirty he was from a few hours of constant exercise. "I have better things to do then go trough work i already know" He shot back.

Keibi gave him a slap over the head ignoring the resulting glare, kids were so cute thinking they were scary. "You know everyone has to go through that not just you, just deal with it brat, you have plenty of time to train after school."

"If you'd just let me advance a year or two i could learn something new instead of listening to lectures of the same old stuff i already know."_ All of which is useless information anyway_ he privately thought, what did it matter what velocity a kunai thrown this or that angle would travel when you just had to figure it out through experiencing it anyway, math did nothing to help you in the field he knew that much.

Keibi sighed and ruffled his nephews hair not caring one bit about the offended squawk he gave off. "You know as well as i do that after Itachi no one is allowed to advance anymore, its all for the mental health of you bratlings." _And for good reason too he thought thinking of the quiet kid he would have never expected to go nuts on his family, _he had worked with Itachi several times and he would have never thought such a pacifist would have murdered his entire family down to the children in cold blood. After that he couldn't help but agree with the Hokage about a freeze on advancement out of the academy. His nephew had a point though..

"I'll tell you what, you stay in the academy for a week without this infernal running off and I'll talk to the principal and see about getting you some extra material to keep you learning while keeping you with your year-mates alright?" There he could be reasonable and maybe now he would finally be able to finish all that damn paperwork so he could have time for the genius that is Icha-Icha.

"Fine." Shikamaru growled out before following his uncle back towards the academy. He might have played pissed, but he was pretty pleased in actuality, he had believed it would take more time before his uncle broke and got him some more advanced material. It had only taken a faked report left on a teacher's desk about his mental health to have the teacher's ask his family to deal with any of his skipping. The report had been easy to fake as he had stolen everything he needed from the hospital before he left all he needed to do was add his name to the report instead of the name that was originally there and change the date and he had succeeded in fooling the academy. On a side note no wonder an enemy had so easily infiltrated Konoha when an 8 year old could walk down into the archives of Konoha's general hospital and forge some paperwork and then walk out with no one the wiser.

Then acting petulant and annoying towards his relatives had very quickly gotten them to hand off the responsibility to the closest family member, enter his uncle. Only the clan head had enough political clout to ask the academy to release more advanced material to him. Running from school everyday meant that not only was he getting trained but he was also annoying his uncle into bribing him back to school. All in all everything had gone perfectly.

He listened with half an ear to his uncle telling some story about him a grass kunoichi and a monkey, neither of them noticing the dark shape with a white featureless white mask following some ways behind them.

* * *

"Well?" the sharp voice echoed in the small cavern behind the Hokage mountain. Danzou had just left a council meeting full of bickering civilians and had no patience for dawdling.

"They boy is training his body and chakra control over 7 hours a day and is progressing at a steady pace. He should catch up to the strongest student in his year Uchiha Sasuke in another couple of months."

"Anything else to report Fuu?" He said while he absently tapped a scroll against his hip, maybe it was time already to give it to him... No he needed to stew some more, grow a bit more dissatisfied with the Hokage... How to ensure that though... The boy was proving to be quite resourceful stealing documents from the hospital archive and managing to fool the academy and his own uncle who even Danzou acknowledged as quite the skilled shinobi. Not quite Kakashi's level but just below, a pity that he was lost for missions now that he was a clan head. Just another thing to blame Sarutobi for.

"I have nothing else at this time Danzou-sama." Fuu replied his eyes following the movements of his leader as he suddenly started pacing. He was used to the leader of Root getting restless when he got a particular idea in his head, not that he ever showed it to anyone outside his most trusted subordinates, which meant only Fuu and Torune ever saw it.

"Shikaku's ashes will be put to rest and his and Yoshino's name put on the heroe's monument next week i believe." Danzou mused aloud. Fuu kept quiet knowing that his input was not wanted nor needed.

"How to use that...Hmm" Danzou closed his eyes in thought. T_he monument and funerals in Konoha was ever since the Sandaime took the reins back from the Yondaime run by civilian administrators. Yes... that would work nicely. And Sarutobi would be helpless to do anything unless he wanted to force the issue which he has never done before so its unlikely he will this time. Weak and spineless monkey he is..._ Danzou scoffed

"Fuu..I want you to infiltrate the home's of councilmen Haruno and Sakasawi and implant in their minds the idea that Shikaku and Yoshino deserve no mention on the monument nor their ashes spread among our heroes as they didn't die in battle they just died in their homes, in fact since no proof was ever released that an enemy nin killed them we can have the death put as natural causes..." The Nara clan will be furious and Shikamaru will never listen to Sarutobi again when he is forced to declare Shikaku and Yoshino dead because of natural causes. Danzou glared down at Fuu who gulped slightly at the unforgiving look in his leader's eye. "There will be no mistakes Fuu, they will push this agenda you will make sure of it."

"Hai, Danzou-sama."

With a negligent wave of his hand he dismissed Fuu his bodyguard Torune falling in behind him as he started leaving the cavern. Haruno and Sakasawi where the two loudest and most influential leaders of their blocks in the civilian council. If they both supported this then Nara Shikaku and Nara Yoshino would not be allowed on the monument nor buried with the heroes of Konoha. It would all have the Hokage's seal and little Shikamaru would surely blame the Hokage for this transgression. He had to be careful though... Although he wanted the boy alienated from Sarutobi he did not want him to lose his loyalty to Konoha. It was a risk for sure but he was confident he could handle the balancing act. Shikamaru would be his, all it would take was time now.

With nothing but a poof both of them left the cavern like they never were there to begin with, no sadness at all over sullying the memory of two loyal Konoha shinobi for their own schemes.

* * *

AN: That's the first chapter of the life of Shikamaru being in the centre not able to escape all the troublesome things other people have in store for him. English isn't my first language so i apologize for any spelling errors. I am looking for a beta to help me with fleshing everything out and managing the mistakes that undoubtedly make their way in.

Until next time Ja Ne


	2. Terror

Still don't own Naruto. Kishimoto still has that right. And he abuses the hell out of it.

_like this = _thoughts

**Like this= **Kyuubi scary monster talk

On towards another chapter of troublesome Shikamaru's troublesome adventures, what will he suffer through today?

* * *

Troublesome.. So troublesome Shikamaru thought as he stood at the academy grounds waiting for his Taijutsu match-up. He was currently occupied with the spectacle that was a Yamanaka Ino and Haruno Sakura cat fight. He turned away in disgust when the hair pulling started electing to go sit down under a nice big tree with lots of shade. _Honestly who gives up their friendship over someone that couldn't care less anyway.._ Shikamaru had never understood Sasuke until his own parents had died and with that understanding he also saw why Sasuke couldn't care less about his fan girls. Their pathetic displays and weak skills would in no way elevate his own skills to reach his goal. If Shikamaru had fan girls he would have probably treated them the same way. A_t least there's some silver lining to this crap_ he thought _I'm not good looking enough to have a horde of harpy's on my back all the time.. Ah perspective there you are_ he snickered quietly by himself.

He sighed and tried to find the few views of clouds he could see through the foliage of the big tree he was sitting under, he hadn't had much time for cloud gazing lately. His parents funeral was tomorrow and he had been selected from the clan to carve his parents name into the heroes monument. He snorted, more like his uncle had refused to do it and he was the only close family left, everyone else was at the closest a cousin and tradition dictated that parents went first. Then siblings went second, children third and then cousins and others came into play after that. His grandparents have been dead for over 20 years so that left the responsibility to Keibi who immediately refused citing his poor carving skills.. Tch he couldn't even lie properly. Somehow its more real now though he mused, now that he personally would put their ashes to rest and carve their names in the monument it felt like they were truly gone forever, he felt empty so often now, like something was missing.

He was broken out of his musings as their instructor called the next match-up. _Oh joy... Uchiha Sasuke, well he did feel like getting his ass kicked around the ground today so kami felt obliged to indulge him it seemed. Best make it training in dealing with pain..._

Uchiha Sasuke rolled his eyes as the two fan girls started clawing at each other thinking they were impressing him acting like 2 year olds fighting over their favourite toy. He couldn't care less what they did they would never be good enough for the Uchiha clan. His eyes caught the movement of Shikamaru leaving the group a disdainful look sent towards the two girls fighting. The Nara was an enigma to Sasuke, just a few months ago he had been useless, hell Naruto the retarded orange squirrel that pretended to be a shinobi had been better then him. Then suddenly he had disappeared for a couple of days returning to take the academy by storm.

He was practically acing all theory for the entire year and slowly advancing in everything else to where only himself and Aburame Shino were above him in weapon throwing and himself and Inuzuka Kiba in Taijutsu. The Shikamaru Nara of before his disappearance would have ignored the shrieking harpies and would never have shown his disgust especially towards the blonde harpy who was a childhood friend of his.

Making up his mind he made his way towards the Taijutsu instructor who looked extremely embarrassed to even watch the spectacle taking place, spectacle because no one could call it a real fight. Not many knew but the strongest student in any of the years had the right to challenge any other student in his year. It was a rule put in place to challenge the top of the year as well as the one's closest to them to improve. After all him beating up on the dead last would teach him nothing nor would it teach the dead last anything.. Granted right now the dead last was Naruto and he wasn't quite sure he could actually be taught or if he for that matter understood human speech.

He kept his eyes on Shikamaru the entire conclusion of the shriek party waiting for the Nara to hear who he would be fighting. He was mildly disappointed at first as all he could see was the usual lazy expression that everyone was used to him wearing. When he stood up though his eyes were full of determination. That's right show me your determination he thought excitedly as the Nara walked up to him.

Sasuke grinned in anticipation. "Show me who you are Nara, unless you are just another loser." He taunted as Shikamaru stepped into the circle a calculating look in his eyes.

Shikamaru slouched down, hands in pockets and was giving Sasuke a bored stare-down. "Meh, did you say something?" He removed one hand from his pocket and scratched his chin. "You are Uchiha Tasuke or something right?"

Sasuke snarled and ignoring the fact the match wasn't started yet rushed forward arm already stretched back to launch a devastating punch to the smirking idiot's face. It wasn't until he was right upon Shikamaru that he realized the ploy and his own foolishness when he saw the smirk on the Nara's face as he easily slid away from his punch and elbowed him in the back of the head as he overextended.

Rolling up from the ground seeing stars and gritting his teeth at how easily he had lost his cool and fallen for a stupid taunt. Shikamaru was the brightest kid in class now, of course he knew his goddamn name, it was just to lure him in without any thoughts to any counters or attacks. He had reacted with anger and had completely missed his mark.

He was glad he rolled away as he just managed to avoid a kick to his midriff as Shikamaru ruthlessly pursued him to keep him down. Sasuke started feeling oddly excited, he was actually being challenged, this was great to finally have a rival to push him to be more then what he was, to push him up in skill to reach Itachi. With a great leap he lept back out of Shikamaru's range before immediately rushing back in this time more sedately watching his body for telltale signs of what kind of defence he would put up.

Shikamaru for his part resignedly put his fists up watching Sasuke stagger his charge to try and confuse him on when he would strike. He had hoped to put down the much faster boy with that first strike as he wouldn't be able to fool the other to rush in with anger again. He knew that in a prolonged fight he wouldn't win as Sasuke could get by his defences eventually. And if an elbow to the back of the head didn't put down the Uchiha nothing else he might be able to get through while he was aware and defending himself would work any better.

Once Shikamaru hit the dirt outside of the ring the match had just gone past the ten minute mark, over five minutes longer then anyone had ever lasted against the Uchiha scion. He was surprised to see a hand enter his view and looked up in disbelief as Uchiha Sasuke hauled him up to his feet uttering a quiet good fight before stalking off. He felt the bruises all over him but it felt good in a weird way, he knew he was progressing if he could even manage to get words out of the Uchiha.

His ponderings onto why Sasuke would act so out of character was interrupted when he was swarmed by his classmates, a pat on his back from Inuzuka Kiba almost had him tumble over again. He didn't say it out loud but when Chouji swam through the sea and gave him some space he was eternally grateful, Naruto looked like he was going to hug him and he was allergic to orange, and loudness, and stupidity. And Ramen for that matter but he better not say that, the last one that did got their house spray painted and that would be way too troublesome.

"Holy dude! What have you been doing Shika you almost beat that stick in the mud down! That was an awesome hit to the head." Kiba yelled animatedly waving his arms like he was fighting himself. "And calling him Tasuke.." He sniggered loudly. "The look on his face."

"Can it dog brains!" Yamanaka Ino yelled as she fought her way through the group. Chouji being too scared of her to stop her. "Sasuke was in control the entire time he just wanted to give Shika a chance to look good for a change."

As she punched him on the arm harshly a quiet "Nice fight Shika." slipped through with a small smile from Ino before she started yelling again about how superior HER Sasuke-kun was entering another screaming fest with her pink-haired rival. Shikamaru shook his head never able to understand girls at all.

He could have hugged Matsuda-sensei when he dispersed the crowd and sent them back inside for their next class, although he wondered if it was worth fighting at his best to try and improve now that everyone was giving him appraising looks. He was pretty sure Aburame Shino for example had never paid any attention to him before and he was now watching him quietly from the back. Getting strong was going to get so troublesome if everyone was going to start paying attention to him. He liked it a lot better when he was under the radar.

* * *

"Explain!" Keibi ground out as he burst through the Hokage's doors followed by several Nara clansmen and a frantic secretary apologizing wildly that she had warned them he had a meeting and not to enter.

Sarutobi waved off his secretary with a friendly. "It's alright Mori-chan, i was expecting them soon anyway." Before focusing on the furious clan crowding his office. He shot a glance towards Danzou the person he had been meeting with wondering if he had scheduled the meeting with him just to see him get strangled by shadows. Knowing the man as he did he probably had scheduled it for that reason he thought wryly.

"What can i help you with Keibi-san?" He asked mildly stuffing his pipe with some tobacco, he was sure he would need a smoke after this. Keibi slammed an official decree down on his desk his arm shaking from rage as he stared his Hokage in the eyes. "Do not play this doddering old man with us Hokage-sama we deserve to know what the hell could have you sign off on this piece of shit." He roared his eyes cold and unforgiving his chakra wild and untamed.

Feeling that the atmosphere was a bit too volatile the ANBU team guarding the Hokage's office was suddenly surrounding Keibi swords drawn in warning. A wave from the old Hokage and they pulled back as did Keibi obviously regretting his disrespect as he was calming his chakra down although still pissed. Seeing his former ANBU comrades with swords drawn because of him had sobered him quickly. He was no less angry though over the immense disrespect that was being shown to his brother and his wife.

Sarutobi picked up the decree already knowing what it said but wanting a moment to collect his thoughts. "I'm afraid that the civilian council passed this motion and there is nothing i can do about that without alienating the entire civilian population of Konoha." He explained as reasonably as he could._ And watch the powder keg explode and Danzou will be no help I'm sure.._

Danzou snorted from where he was sitting drawing everyone's attention. "Instead your alienating the Shinobi population by treating Nara Shikaku and his wife as cowards not worthy of honour, claiming that their deaths were of natural causes. Remind me again Sarutobi who risks their life to keep Konoha flourishing? Civilians or Shinobi? " He finished off mockingly.

_Danzou you sly bastard_ Sarutobi ground out in his mind while keeping up a face of polite puzzlement that he could ever be accused of alienating the shinobi of Konoha. _You probably leaked that document right after setting this meeting just so you could score points with the clans for defending their rights against civilians._ Only from having known the man for as long as he had could he decipher the stone cold face of the old cripple and tell that he was quite smug right now.

"How can you allow the council to interfere in this Hokage-sama!? Since when are they allowed to have anything to do with shinobi affairs?" Keibi protested breaking the staring match the Hokage and the old cripple were engaged in.

Sarutobi shook his head wearily knowing that it wouldn't matter what he said, they were all going to be leaving the room unhappy. "It doesn't matter why they chose to get involved now, the fact is they have the right by Konoha law and i will not overrule them.

" Keibi shared a look with those of his clan that had followed him to the meeting knowing from their expressions that they felt the same as he.. The dishonour of calling his brother and clan leader a coward, claiming that they died from natural causes. Refusing him a proper burial and a heroe's send off... Contrary to what it looked like the Nara clan had received the documents over 24 hours ago and had spent the entire day discussing amongst themselves what to do if the Hokage refused to dispel the decree.

Keibi took a deep breath steadying himself for what by some could be considered treason under a less lenient Kage. "If Nara Shikaku and his wife is not deserving of the respect of Konoha then neither are the Nara themselves.

" The finality of the statement hung in the air both Sarutobi and Danzou showing honest surprise at the statement while the Nara's on the other side of the room all stood with grim countenance having already decided on their course. "What...Exactly do you mean by that Keibi-san?" Sarutobi asked carefully not at all liking the implications, from the look on Danzou's face he didn't like one bit where this was going either.

Keibi straightened his back staring with sad eyes at the man he previously had respected as unbeatable, unflappable and overall totally loyal to his own shinobi. "It means that the money from the Nara clan initially deposited in Konoha's treasury will be requested back to the clan, none of this will be spent in this village however as we will set up a supply chain with some of the farming villages outside Konoha. If we are deemed just simple cowards then you can all live without or money or support. We will defend Konoha if under attack but we will not stain the ground with Nara blood when you will turn around and spit on our corpses.

" Sarutobi stood up in shock." Surely you wouldn't take it that far? Think of your clan! The many members that serve Konoha with great honour."

The money from the treasury would be a big blow as the Nara's had contributed financially to Konoha's founding and repaying that would take quite a chunk out of Konoha's treasury. They had no choice but to pay though as it was written in the founding charter that each clan had this right if they were being mistreated by the village. The loss of commerce would be negligible as the Nara clan was no more then a couple dozen strong. No what would really hurt would be the loss of all the active Nara shinobi as almost the entire clan were active shinobi, many of them in very valuable positions in T&I and ANBU.

Keibi chuckled darkly as he turned his back to his former commander. "We did serve with honour but it was unanimously decided by every active member of the clan that the decree stated to all of Konoha that our leader was no more then a coward and we would not stand for that. Should you perhaps change your mind and overturn the decree we would be more then happy to return to our previous capacity."

Sarutobi just rubbed his forehead tiredly as the Nara clan marched out of his office, what a mess and all for some stupid piece of paper. He understood their point he really did but he was not going to make an enemy of the entire merchant population of Konoha with all the potential economic losses there for a few dozen shinobi and one dead man that couldn't care less anymore if history called him a coward or not.

Suddenly Danzou rose making his way to the door as well. " I doubt we will be able to continue or meeting as you have a sudden budget deficit to deal with old friend." He said calmly while on the inside he was raging more over the situation then Sarutobi was. Damn that Keibi it must have been him that convinced this clan to take this moronic course of action its too over the top for any normal Nara move to pull out like that. He would have to work hard to pull them back in and make sure that no matter what his involvement would not be discovered.

* * *

Shikamaru rushed faster then he had rushed his entire life to get out of the academy when the bell rang. Everyone staring at him was getting seriously creepy and he wanted to get out of there before someone like Ino could corner him somewhere. She was seriously on his top 5 list of most scary things alive.

After only a few minutes of running on a little more complicated route home which he was sure no one would take to catch up to him if they believed him to be heading straight back to the Nara compound he noticed that someone actually was following him anyway. He sighed and stopped waiting for him to catch up. Troublesome how just one fight could make his life so much more troublesome.

Only a few seconds after he stopped Uchiha Sasuke stopped a few feet away his eyes meeting Shikamaru's in a silent query. Shikamaru looked around to get his bearings for a moment before sighing and with a twist of his head indicated for the other boy to follow him for somewhere safe to talk. Just from the way the Uchiha was acting and his facial expressions Shikamaru already knew what he wanted to ask. He was pathetically easy to read for someone from a shinobi clan.

Five minutes later found the two of them sitting in a small tree house on the edge of the Nara lands. His father had built it for him a couple of years back and no one but the two of them really even knew it was there.

Just as Sasuke opened his mouth to talk Shikamaru went ahead of him with a bored look on his face. "My parents were murdered by enemy shinobi just awhile back, that's why i was gone for awhile." His eyes were anything but bored though as he studied Sasuke's face as he was hit with that little tidbit. He wasn't surprised really to see no sympathy in the eyes of the Uchiha only sudden understanding.

Sasuke crossed his arms and leaned back against the wooden wall. "So that's why you are suddenly improving.. You are like me, an avenger." His tone sounded approving which disgusted Shikamaru to the core. They might both have the same goal but he was nothing like the moody Uchiha.

Shikamaru snorted with derision. "We are nothing alike, i certainly don't plan to tell everyone i come across i want vengeance, people will just put obstacles in my path to try and deter me." Unsaid but caught easily was the fact he believed Sasuke the fool to be so open about his vengeance to all of Konoha.

Sasuke nodded slowly still studying the Nara with a calculating gaze. "Maybe so... We have the same kind of goal, the same kind of purpose no matter which way we go about to achieve that purpose." He wasn't really offended by the Nara's comments, either way they went about it they were still the same the Nara could be delusional about it all he wanted. It felt oddly comforting to have someone to relate to, someone that understood his pain. It wasn't the exact same circuimstances but close enough either way.

Shikamaru sighed and rubbed his forehead. "I know what you are going to ask...Fine i will train with you after the academy it will certainly be of benefit for the both of us as Taijutsu is hard to hone without an opponent to spar with." _And whatever else your trying to score off me, its obvious you want to use me Sasuke, your too open with your intentions i can see it in your eyes._

Sasuke looked a bit amused that he didn't even have to ask. _How different from the rest of our year_ he thought. _Most of our class wouldn't understand me if i screamed it our from on top the Hokage mountain and this guy i don't even have to talk to for him to peg it. He would make a good training partner._

"I trust you know where the Uchiha district is Nara?" Seeing the are you stupid look he received for that comment he just chuckled. "See you tomorrow Nara." And he left the camouflaged little tree house pleased with how easily he had received someone to push him further in his training. This was a good day to be Uchiha Sasuke for once. Now he had a springboard to catapult him furhter towards his goal.

Shikamaru sat still for a few more minutes going over everything in his head. He would advance a lot farther training with someone like Sasuke, so in that way this little talk had gained him a good push towards being stronger. He worried however over how blatantly stupid and obvious the Uchiha was about his revenge and how his clan would see them associating. Would his uncle cotton on just from that fact. Shikamaru didn't know at that moment but his Uncle had too many worries to care at all who is nephew "played" with.

* * *

"You. Did. What?" Shikamaru ground out with gritted teeth staring at his uncle who was sitting at the kitchen table calmly drinking some sake. Some could be translated as a lot as there were 5 bottles laying on the floor around him. Shikamaru had just gotten home and had learned that not only was his parents not allowed their funeral but his baka of an uncle had ensured that he would never get any revenge by removing the entire clan from Konoha proper.

Keibi smiled in grim amusement seeing the anger and the still calculating eyes of his nephew trying to find a way trough the anger to think of something to turn this around to his own benefit. It was now more then ever that he saw someone that would easily surpass Shikaku. That's why he had convinced the clan to take the path they would take now, and put it all on the shoulders of a young boy.

He took a swig of the sake from the bottle and wiped his mouth carelessly before pointing at Shikamaru bottle in hand. "Don't lecture me brat. We did what we had to do to show them all that the Nara is a clan to be respected and feared not be treated like cattle docile and waiting for slaughter." The Nara clan had always been somewhat ridiculed as they weren't much for overt action so they weren't as flashy and popular as the Hyuuga, Uchiha and Inuzuka.

"Making everyone treat us as suspected traitors or cowards is better!?" Shikamaru said dryly as he slumped into a kitchen chair trying to get over the anger as his hands shook slightly. All his plans ruined, everything gone because of his idiot uncle.

Keibi shook his head slowly. "You aren't looking underneath the underneath nephew." Seeing that he had his nephew's attention he took another swig before he continued glad to see that any irritation that he undoubtedly felt was masked perfectly. He is the perfect candidate as much as i hate the idea he mused sadly. " Konoha will not suffer overly much for our loss, not enough to force them into acknowledging us anyway. However if one single Nara were to go trough the system and impress how much stronger he is then everyone else in his generation including the other clan brats..."

"People will start thinking on how it is such a strong clan is forced to be outside the system. The Hokage won't be able to leave us out and will have to give concessions to lure us back in. In the end even if it might take until you reach Chuunin after an impressive exam that showcases to all your superior skills, we will be coming back stronger then ever and with more reach as they will have no choice but to essentially bribe us back or suffer the wrath of public opinion which they so easily fell too when it came time to dishonour us this time."

Shikamaru couldn't believe what he was hearing. It couldn't be what he thought he just heard. Basically the entire clan would put their future on his shoulders. Indeed it could be no one else as otherwise his uncle wouldn't be having this conversation. It meant that all the training he preciously thought he would have no chance at getting now lay open as his clan would be eager for him to grow stronger. However he would still have to be very careful. If they found out about his vengeance plans he would not be allowed to be the candidate to showcase the clan to Konoha as the whole point was to make him seem like the perfect loyal Nara super weapon and it wouldn't do to risk his and the clan's reputation to get vengeance. He would have to walk the balancing rope of training to be stronger but not going into it so obsessively that they would start to wonder over all his motives.

He looked at his uncle determination shining out of his eyes. Although he was upset over the clan withdrawing and his parents not getting their funeral he did not have time to rage at the stupidity of the civilian council and the Hokage. He would find out eventually who decided his parents were cowards. once he wasn't watched as much by his clan. "What do you need me to do uncle?"

Keibi shuddered visibly for a second and pushed the sake bottle over to Shikamaru. "You will be sent to the cave again."

Shikamaru froze completely dead still sweat appearing on his forehead. He had done much to repress those memories as did every Nara and he wasn't sure if even for his vengeance he could stomach even the thought of going back there. Unbidden the memories returned to him.

* * *

_Flashback no jutsu_

just a few miles outside of Konoha in the expansive Nara forest where the Nara clan had resided even before Konoha was even a thought was a deep underground cavern where no wildlife dared to go. Everything around the cavern was barren and dead yet still Nara shinobi had been coming to the cavern since before the clan wars.

4 year old Shikamaru felt a bit scared as he looked at the mouth of the cavern, it looked surprisingly much like the maw of some giant beast. Only the fact that he had his father's hand in his kept him from whimpering from the scary atmosphere of the silent night, not a single bird could be heard only their footsteps as they walked closer.

Just before the entrance Shikaku went on his knees and faced his son a serious expression on his face. "Son, this is where Nara get their powers as i've told you, it is important that you remember that you will live and that you keep strong in there. Do not give in to your fear son, understand me?"

Shikamaru had already been told the same thing the entire way there. No one remembered how the Nara clan had found the cave or why the living shadows inside had shared their powers to begin with instead of just killing them. Now it was a symbiotic relationship, as no wildlife went near the cave their was no food for the shadows to devour so the Nara constantly feed the shadows wild animals and in exchange received power on their 4th birthday, a power that would constantly feed the living shadow. No one outside the Nara knew but anyone killed by their shadow jutsu had their soul devoured by the shadows. No one could ever know as the Nara clan would be annihilated even by their allies in Konoha.

Gulping and giving his father a scared look he was pushed inside the entrance and immediately lost his balance as the entrance disappeared and he found himself in a circular room with just a single light coming from a small crystal sitting in the middle of the room. Shikamaru slowly walked towards it shaking as the shadows danced on the walls and floors.

Staring at the crystal he hesitantly did what his father had told him and touched it. He fell back on his back as the crystal pulsated like a heartbeat and shone brightly for a second before going dimmer somehow illuminating the shadows more then ever. Shikamaru started crying as he saw the shadows moving, slithering towards him with a shishishi sound teeth and eyes appearing everywhere. He wanted to get up, move, run anywhere but he couldn't as there was no exit out of the room and he had promised his father to stay strong. He had never been more scared though as the laughing shadows eyed him hungrily, circling him, terrifying him by lunging forward just to pull back at the last second laughing at him.

He screamed as a shadow finally made contact with his leg. It was freezing cold and he could feel his bones creaking as the mouth of the shadow bit down hard no blood being drawn but still feeling like it was crunching bone. Even more joined it covering his leg and moving upwards. His entire leg was now simply a black mass with teeth and eyes and he was in excruciating pain that he hardly even noticed as the fear was even greater as he felt the shadows moving up his body. Nothing could describe the fear of looking down his body and seeing the laughing eyes moving up slowly freezing and biting as they went.

As his throat was constricted by the shadows and his breath was starting to be taking away completely the shadows now reaching his jaw he looked at the crystal one last time a whimpering "help me"coming out before the shadows dove into his mouth and the screaming started for real. All to the symphony of laughing shadows.

_Flashback no jutsu end_

* * *

He had returned 24 hours later to the mouth of the cave to a very relieved Shikaku who hadn't let him out of his sight again for at least a week. Shikamaru had spent the last couple of years repressing every memory of that place. "Why do i have to go back? Nara only go there once in their lifetime when they are 4" Shikamaru asked shuddering everything gone from his mind except the fear of the cave. He had never even thought about going back. Who the hell would go back there willingly?

"Only the clan head knows but in certain circumstances before some Nara have been found worthy of being granted more control of darkness, although its only happened three times in our history its well documented to have happened." Keibi explained still not looking at Shikamaru as if he was afraid of what he would see in his nephew's face after the news of having to go back to that hellish place. Keibi did not have good memories of his own iniation either and he would rather die then go back in there himself even after all the horrors he'd seen in ANBU.

Shikamaru grabbed his own shaking hands together and centred himself trying to get control of his fear. He knew he needed to get stronger and although this wasn't the way he wanted to go about it, he could possibly get more control over the shadow jutsu his clan was famous for. Every time he had practised them he had been particularly weak in the clan jutsu to begin with so this would be an excellent way to power up his jutsu. If he thought.. I can survive the cave again. _That's a big if..._

"Either way brat... The clan has decided and you have no choice... You have a month to prepare." Keibi rose and put a hand on his shoulder. "You should be fine, we all believe you will be." The weak assurance wasn't even heard by Shikamaru. _How nice of the clan to make the choice for me. _He thought sarcastically.

Shikamaru just stared at his hands that wouldn't stop shaking. Was his revenge worth all of this he thought. Was he going down a slippery path that would take him to places darker then he wanted to go? And even if he succeeded what would it turn him into?

* * *

AN: Poor Shikamaru everyone is beating down on you. tune in next chapter for more horrible things happening to poor Shikamaru and who knows maybe the retarded orange squirrel will make an appearence. Until next time Ja ne


	3. Abomination

AN: Sorry for the quite long wait. I had a busy few months were my kids ended up hospitalized, i got fired from my work because i couldn't show up for all my shifts while being with my kids and then looking for new work etc i just recently was able to concentrate on writing again.

Hopefully you will enjoy this chapter of the troublesome adventures of Shikamaru the revenge driven sloth.

Once again Kishimoto owns Naruto not me. If he would sell me Shikamaru though i would be happy.

_Like this_= thoughts

**Like this**= Kyuubi scary monster talk

* * *

"What in Kami's name happened to you!" Ino shrieked as she grabbed and dragged Shikamaru into the house for the annual Ino-Shika-Chou dinner one week after Shikamaru started training with the Nara clan. Under mutterings of troublesome she dragged the half dead Shikamaru into the livingroom and deposited him on a couch at which he promptly pretended to fall asleep. Her shock was shared with the rest of the room which included his friend Chouji and his and Ino's parents. In short Shikamaru looked like he had gone a couple of rounds with the hokage. His entire face was one big bruise and whatever could be seen of his body was covered in bandages.

"Answer me damnit Shika!" Ino yelled as she by her usual habit slapped the bruised Nara over the head, not expecting him to jump off the couch with a yelp and glare at her, usually he wouldn't move no matter what she did. Chouji was slowly making his way over concerned for his friend but knowing better then getting in front of Ino in a rant.

"Troublesome, stop hitting me she-demon" He ground out as he sat back down gingerly as he was still suffering from his latest training session. He was sure his uncle was out to kill him.

Before Ino could work herself up into a rant Keibi walked in with a scowl on his face. "Girl, usually i don't complain when someone beats up this lazy lug." He suddenly and inexplicibly tossed 5 senbon needles at the couch nodding when with a curse Shikamaru rolled off the couch and tossed a kunai straight for his right eye. "However he needs all he can get right now so that i don't accidentally kill him." Keibi finished as he caught the kunai and immediately tossed it back towards Shikamaru. "Don't give me weapons dimwit, if you can't get anything out of tossing one keep it in your damn pants boyo."

As Shikamaru scrambled out of the way of the kunai which inbedded into the wall with a loud thunk, Yamanaka Inoichi approached and made sure to stand in front of his darling girl while questioning the lunatic Nara clan head.

"Keibi-san can you please explain while you are attempting to murder Shikamaru-kun at our family get together?" _And why exactly your messing up my couch and walls. _He mentally added.

Keibi grinned unrelentantly as he clapped Inoichi on both shoulders. "Your right Inoichi i should give the brat the dinner off before we go back to tortu- ehm training."

Inoichi coughed politely. "Ah, that's not quite what i meant."

"It's training, just training."

"It looks like a lot more then just training, you were throwing sharp weapons at an 8 year old." Akimichi Choza interjected coming to stand next to Inoichi.

Keibi shrugged and glanced over at the door seeing Chouji and Ino sneak Shikamaru out, he'd give the brat the night off with his friends for now but that would be all the leeway he would give him. _In case he never gets to come back i can give him this small reprieve to hang out with his friends._

He turned back to Inoichi and Choza who were both giving him pretty stern lookds. Both babied their kids so Keibi knew they would not agree with training Shikamaru this hard. _Well their kids could afford to grow up lax, his nephew couldn't._

"C'mon girly-kun and bigfoot-kun let's drink sake until we drop while i regale you with the amazing story of how i the great master Keibi-Sama is showering his pupil in wisdom." _That should distract them, they hate those nicknames._

No matter how old he got he would always call them the nicknames he had given them when he had first met his brother's team and Choza had accidentally stepped on his favourite shogi board. And Inoichi with his pretty blonde hair would never get away from girly-kun after crying when Keibi beat him up that same day when he tried to defend Choza.

Inoichi and Choza at the same time grabbed Keibi and started dragging him to the parlor amidst the laughter of Choza and Inoichi's wifes who never could stop finding amusement in the nicknames their husbands had earned.

* * *

**With Shikamaru and co.**

Shikamaru hated it when Ino got a reason to get serious. Her fangirl mode was annoying but serious Ino was worse because it usually meant a lot of extra pain for him and Chouji. After dragging him out and into the backyard she had unceremoniously dumped him on the ground and started interrogating him for answers growing more and more irate when all she could get was that it was too troublesome to answer.

When she started advancing on him with that glint in her eyes that said she had reached smacking him around limit Shikamaru sat up with a sigh and put his hands in the universal i surrender sign. _Troublesome girls..._

She tossed her hair haugtily with a small smirk on her face. "Get to it lazy, you know you can't resist me when i want to know something."

Chouji chuckled and sat down next to Shikamaru having been mostly an observer as Ino tore into his friend. "You always know you will lose an argument with Ino, why do you bother?" He asked as he offered some chips for his black and blue friend.

Shikamaru snorted as he grabbed a chip. "If i give in its too troublesome because then she will bug me more and more because i give in too easy."

A tick appeared on Ino's forehead as she treathingly raised a fist and shook it in front of Shikamaru's face. "Information. NOW!"

Chouji chuckled again as his friend scooted back away from Ino. "You should start talking Shika or you might need more bandages, i would like too know too what's happened though."

"Troublesome." Shikamaru muttered keeping a wary eye on Ino well aware that she never hesitates to whack him one if she feels he is being too slow.

He looked his friends in the eyes as he grew serious. They were both as young as him but he had known them since birth and he knew he could trust them with everything except his revenge plans. _That and the cave... Some things should never see the light of day._

"Alright, have you heard what's happened in the clan lately?" He started out, if they knew it would save him a lot of explaining.

Both his friends faces darkened as they nodded both taken in by the serious tone Shikamaru used. The Akimichi and Yamanaka while not following the Nara's into self imposed exile of a sorts were not happy with the Hokage or the civilians. Shikaku and Yoshino had both been well respected and having their death's ruled as of natural causes was an affront to them all.

It didn't take long for both of the clans to realize that the Hokage was sacrificing Shikaku and Yoshino to keep the civilians appeased as well as their enemies. Being sliced into thousands of little pieces was no natural death and although most of Konoha did not know how they died the Akimichi and Yamanaka were close to the Nara so they had shared the information. It all pointed towards Suna that they all agreed on. However while they had all seen war and didn't want another one they disagreed with the Hokage that their Nara friends needed to be sacrificed to keep a status quo.

"It doesn't explain why your uncle is trying to kill you." Chouji asked quietly breaking the silence. They had all been thinking about their lazy uncle shikaku who could always be counted on to sneak them a snack or tell them a funny story. Aunt Yoshino who always took Ino aside and taught her how to handle all those scruffy men and who could cook up a storm.

Shikamaru laid down in the grass staring at the sky. " It's troublesome but everyone in the clan has left active duty leaving me as the only possible Shinobi of the clan."

Ino looked at him askance. "Your telling me they are leaving everything to you." Waiting to see his nod she continued "The Nara clan is doomed." She finished deadpanned. "Seriously.. Doomed.." She waved her hands around like words weren't enough to point out how doomed they were.

Shikamaru groaned as he turned to Chouji for help, seeing his friend snickering at him he just mutters a troublesome before trying to take a nap while his friends argue about his chances of surviving to become a shinobi.

* * *

**Back with Keibi and Co.**

Looking out the window Keibi smile softly as he sees Shikamaru sitting with his friends for one of the few times of childhood he will ever get. "Its not an easy decision you know." He said quietly to the other two in the room with him. By the amount of sake bottles lying empty they had been discussing the issue quite heavily. Either that or drinking heavily but to war veterans it pretty much meant the same anyway.

Akimichi Choza sighed as he puts his large hands in front of his face. "We understand the reasoning Keibi, but your sacrificing your nephew to try and create another Itachi." _Or another Kakashi i don't know which would be worse._

"He is the hope of the Nara clan and we support that but your taking it too far." Inoichi interjected from where he was sitting at the other window looking down on his baby girl waving her fist in front of her friends faces.

Keibi grimaced as he took a long swig form his bottle of chilled sake. "Heck, i know i'm taking it too damn far but you have no idea of the kind of things he'll face soon." _The things no man should have to face, but we have all doomed ourselves to this fate for generations._

"Shikamaru is scarily intelligent he will make it trough anything Keibi, you don't need to push so far." Choza pointed out tiredly not for the first time.

Keibi turned around with a defeated look on his face. "Baka's!, I already know all this but i have to prepare him. I might have forced my brothers only child into death and i will make everything i have available to him to make him live trough it."

"I've been in the mind of Uchiha Sasuke... Do you really want to have Shikamaru turn out like that?" Inoichi pointed out with a frown well aware of his daughters crush on the broken boy Itachi had left behind.

Keibi slammed the bottle down on the table breaking it and spilling sake everywhere ignoring Choza's reproachful look and Inoichi's understanding one. "Dammit, if he turns out like Sasuke or even Itachi i don't give a damn as long as he lives!"

"Yet you were the one that convinced your clan on this course of action and went against the Hokage.. As well you chose Shikamaru to be your champion." Choza pointed out.

Keibi slumped down into a chair his hands on his knees as he stared at them. They were heavily scarred from the many many battles he had survived trough several years in ANBU. _So many people I've killed and i am making Shikamaru into the same, a simple killer.._

"I know it was me that chose that, but now i am already regretting it seeing my nephew and knowing that he is nothing but a weapon to be honed for the Nara clan. I'm no better then Danzou." He spat with disgust.

Choza's chair creaked as he rose to put a comforting hand on Keibi's shoulder. Although they had always butted heads in the past he felt for the man that had lost his brother and then sacrificed his nephew for the clan. "You still love him, you are not Danzou. If you must train him this hard then remember to also show him you care for him just as hard."

Keibi looked at the two men that had stuck by his brother through everything. "Thank you, Inoichi, Choza but i am not sure that anything i will do will be enough for what Shikamaru has to face thanks to me." His eyes darkening remembering the cave that devoured yet empowered them. "It won't be enough.." He finished with a sad sigh.

* * *

_It is amazing how quick a month can go_ Shikamaru mused as he stood yet again in front of the cave that led to the entity that gave them their shadow abilities. He had been excused from the academy all month his uncle citing Clan issues to get him a month pass. The month had been hell on Shikamaru. The whole clan had pitched in on making him miserable. Although he appreciated getting stronger he just wasn't ready for the amount of murdering lunatics that apparently populated his clan. He was determined to persevere and grow stronger and stronger.. If he survived his clan.

His awareness of his surroundings had become more of a paranoid habit as he never went anywhere without extending his chakra searching for chakra sources while his other senses looked for traps and ambush points.

All month wherever he went his clan members ambushed him throwing kunai's, senbon and in one case a huge boulder at him. Wherever he stepped he would find shock tags or cleverly hidden traps not even his own bed was safe. On the plus side he had in one month developed a pretty good chakra sensor ability on the negative side was the fact that he couldn't take one step without his paranoid senses expecting an attack.

He had to hunt for his own food as any food given to him or stolen invariably turned out to be poisoned with a paralysing agent of some sort. Houses were booby trapped and he had no idea how many times he had raided a cupboard in a Nara clan house just to get hit by a dart filled with that annoying paralysing poison. Trying to escape the clan grounds didn't work as his uncle was guarding it with his summons helping out and every time he tried he ended up in a day long punishing Taijutsu beat down.

Even his Uncle's summons were beating him up and he was waiting for the day he would be strong enough to pepper the whole damn clan with poison darts including the summons.

All of it had lead to this day. He knew they were trying to power him up quickly to give him more chances with the cave. He had asked his uncle once why they didn't just push up the cave visit a year or two and he had explained that from the few that had ever survived a second trip one thing was common. The younger the better. No one over the age of twenty had ever returned from the cave a second time. The only people to survive had all been well below twenty although Shikamaru would be the youngest so far to try at almost 9 years old.

He felt the hand of his uncle on his shoulder and looked up at his grim face that was trying and failing to smile at him.

"I know you can do this Shikamaru, if anyone can its you. You have the power to surpass your father and i know he would be proud of you." H_e would also torture me for twenty years for making you go trough this.._

"I will be waiting for you right here... Come back safe Shikamaru."

"Here goes nothing i guess.." Shikamaru said before walking the short distance towards the cave and being swallowed up in the darkness.

As soon as he entered the cave his uncle looked away not able to look at the cave anymore therefore he missed the dark figure that slipped into the cave behind Shikamaru.

* * *

Shikamaru once again found himself in the cave with the crystal in the centre but this time it seemed like he had company. Sitting at the crystal was a small boy no more then 4 or 5 for some reason the small boy made Shikamaru's hair stand on end.

The boy turned around and Shikamaru shuddered at the pure black eyes and the demented grin on what seemed like a young Nara child. **"Welcome back, we are pleased another of your kind has come to beg in front of us."**

Shikamaru couldn't move he was completely frozen as his heart raced. The voice was like the coldest of winter while at the same time sounding like it was ripping his flesh into pieces. He could see the shadows all over the cave moving around the eyes watching him. He watched in disgust as in the child's eyes small eyes moved in and out as if they were moving off the wall and trough him.

A tendril of shadow came off the wall and caressed his cheek, Shikamaru shuddered as it left the feeling of frostbite after it.

"**Are you incapable of speech human?"** The little boy teased with a crooked grin his tongue coming out even it covered in eyes.

Shikamaru gathered his resolve, he couldn't fail here too much was hanging on him persevering trough this. He bowed his head deferentially. "I apologize i was simply shocked and forgot myself for a moment." He hesitated slightly. "What should i call you?"

The child laughed mockingly. **"We are darkness, we are the cold unstoppable death that grips your soul."** He stepped forward and Shikamaru had to stop himself from retching as the child's gut split open tendrils of shadows reaching forward to grab a hold of his arms and legs bringing him closer to the child. **"You may call me owner, little human pet."**

If Shikamaru thought the first time had been scary he couldn't even remember that as frightening anymore as he was terrified looking into the black eyes staring at him just inches from his face. He couldn't stop tears from flowing as the tongue reached out and left a trail of frost over his cheek.

"**Your fear tastes exquisite little pet."**

Suddenly Shikamaru was tossed away into the cave wall coughing up blood at how hard he had slammed into the wall tendrils rising out of the wall grabbing a hold of him again before he could fall.

The boy smirked and a throne of darkness rose from the ground which he sat comfortably in staring with unblinking eyes at Shikamaru. **"We have seen your kind come beg for power before little pet, why should i not eat your soul i already have many pets after all."**

Shikamaru gathered whatever courage he had, he had a feeling lying would not work very well. As soon as he thought that he could hear the laughing shishishi sound from all around him confirming that whatever this was it could read his thoughts.

"I need more power, more strength to crush my enemies and restore my clan to be feared and honoured." He whispered the cold starting to affect him as he could see his own breath.

"**Shishishi, good answer little pet, many have come asking for power to protect their friends and such pathetic pets we have eaten many times."** The eyes of the boy seemed to grow larger and the grin more demented. **"Power to crush the weak, to eat the weak is all that matters shishishi."**

Shikamaru breathed out in relief. "So i gave the right answer then?"

"**We like the answer but we require more to not eat you shishishi."**

"Wha-...What do you need exactly?" Shikamaru asked tears running down his cheeks and freezing immediately as he wondered if this was it he was going to be eaten by this monster.

"**We require souls little pet ninja, souls to feed us make us grow stronger... Make us strong enough to leave this abode and roam the world again feeding and feasting and murdering freely."**

Shikamaru did not like the idea of this monster roaming freely. His mind thought furiously even though he was well aware that the monster could read every thought. He had a choice to make. Live and possibly grow more powerful and sacrifice kami knows how many people or die and let his revenge and his parents legacy die here. He had no other choice, he was not willing to let his revenge and his parents legacy disappear, hopefully he would grow powerful enough that after his revenge he would be able to kill this thing.

"**Shishishi, you can never kill us pet. We will not say no to your soul the day you attempt it**,** with our power it will have grown powerful the day you come and sacrifice your feeble self to us."** the boy was dancing on his throne the shadows around him moving in concert all the time you could hear a quiet shishishi from all around.

Shikamaru shivered as the he couldn't even feel his legs anymore. "How do i give you souls...Owner." He cringed at seeing the demented child laugh mockingly at him. The fear was abating slightly as it seemed they had reached the accord necessary for him to live.

"**Every time you kill using my power, their souls are forfeited to me." **The tendrils holding Shikamaru pushed him forward towards the boy again stopping only inches away. The boy put a finger to Shikamaru's right arm laughing again as Shikamaru screamed in pain as a black symbol of a dark eye looking to be laughing was burned into his arm just over his wrist. "**You are now the summoner for the beasts of the shadows. The summons killing someone will also give us souls. You can also summon us...Shishishi, you do so with no strong soul for us to devour and we will take yours little pet."**

Shikamaru fell to the ground clutching his arm as he screamed in pain as once again shadows were covering him entering every orifice imbuing him with their power. It was over in just a few seconds and he shakily got to his knees ignoring the pain as best he could as he bowed his head to his owner.. Until the day he could kill him.

The boy patted him on the head condescendingly while laughing. **"Your first test is here, serve us well human pet."**

In a flash of darkness a man wearing a white ANBU mask appeared in the cave held tightly by tendrils of shadows, he was not able to move at all. **"This pet was following you into our abode.. Kill it!"**

Shikamaru stood up gingerly testing his legs finding them free of any chill now, he hesitantly removed a kunai from the pouch on his side just to stop as he was literally bitch slapped by a tendril of shadows.

"**Use our power pet, see what we have rewarded you with, revel in our magnificence!"**

Shikamaru closed his eyes and breathed in slowly, he knew it must be a konoha shinobi in front of him which meant the Hokage was spying on him. Like the Hokage hadn't done enough already. He didn't want to do this but in the grand scheme of things one spy was not worth giving up his life for. He reached for his chakra performing the kagemane no jutsu pleased with how easy it formed, with just a flex of chakra the shadow changed into a spear and he shot it towards the bound shinobi easily piercing his chest and heart. Slightly disgusted with how easy he killed someone suddenly to a loud shishishi and a flash of the crystal in the centre of the cave he was standing in front of the cave in front of his shocked and overjoyed uncle.

One thing was for sure he had in essence sold his soul for his goal... Maybe he wasn't so different from Sasuke after all. He was sure the Uchiha avenger would have made the same choice in a heartbeat.

* * *

"I see, he is dead then." Danzou concluded as Torune reported that the Root operative following Nara Shikamaru had not reported in.

Torune kneeling in front of the root leader nodded. "That is the most likely outcome Danzou-sama, my bugs could not even enter the forest where Nara Keibi took the target."

"Hmm, such an interesting place the Nara forest." Danzou said out loud as he pondered on this drastic move on part of the Nara clan. As no Nara had ever been part of Root he could not say for sure what hid in there but he could guess. And he was fairly sure his guess was correct.

The Nara had always brought their kids to that forest which made it a likely place for where their powers or bloodline originate from. Anyone else that enter never come back and many have tried throughout the years. There were plenty of rumours back when he was a child that the only reason the Nara joined the leaf was to protect the forest and their power, as otherwise Konoha would be too close to their secret.

Why take Shikamaru back though, was there perhaps another level of power for a Nara. There had been in the past before Konoha's founding several Nara of incredible power over their believed blood-limit. Most had contributed that to how more powerful shinobi had been before the village's were founded citing such shinobi as Hashirama Senju and Uchiha Madara as prime examples.

Perhaps there were more to the Nara then he could have ever imagined. Now he wanted Shikamaru even more as he could be the key to finding out this secret and perhaps use it to make Konoha as a whole stronger.

He turned his attention back to his subordinate. "Torune, you will personally take over the spying on Nara Shikamaru. Bring him to me at the first opportunity where neither the Hokage's forces nor the Nara have their eye on him."

He dismissed Torune with a wave of his hand as he went back to reading the scroll he had received not too long ago. Orochimaru was a traitor of the highest order but strengthening himself would be worth co-operating for a short while with the snake. He would have to be killed after of course but it would all benefit himself and trough that Konoha. The Roots would grow and the tree would be stronger then ever.

* * *

"One...One more time!" Shikamaru gasped as he dredged up the last of his chakra reserve to send several tendrils of shadows out to pierce the falling leaves, missing with two of them. He fell to the ground with a scowl. _Still not able to use them accurately enough._

"Your lasting longer today." Keibi said calmly looking at the clearing covered in pierced leafs. "When i was your age i couldn't even use the Kagemane no jutsu (shadow imitation jutsu) and here you are already using Kage nui no jutsu (Shadow sewing jutsu)."

Shikamaru scowled as he caught his breath his body protesting as he was close to chakra exhaustion yet again like he had been everyday for the last couple of weeks. "I still can't do it accurately enough, its not good enough!"

Keibi sighed as he plumped down next to Shikamaru and ruffled his hair. "your 9 years old brat, at your age i couldn't even do any clan jutsu don't be so harsh."

"I am not you, I have to be able to do this." Shikamaru said tiredly, constantly using up his chakra was so troublesome to do day after day. It would be good for his reserves eventually though. Still troublesome.

"Brat, if you push too hard your body will give up. Not even ANBU train 10-12 hours a day."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes already used to the don't work too hard routine his uncle had been giving him the last couple of weeks. Ever since he had returned alive from the Nara cave. Honestly the man couldn't make up his mind on whether to train him into the ground or worry if he's training too much.

"If your so worried then teach me something that doesn't take any chakra to learn." He groused.

Keibi suddenly grinned evilly. "Funny you should mention that brat.. I got you a teacher for traps finally!"

Shikamaru turned an evil eye towards his uncle. "Why aren't you teaching me that, you were in ANBU i know you know how to make excellent traps. You've caught me in enough of them."

Keibi chuckled patting Shikamaru on the head moving his hand away quickly after as Shikamaru tries to bite him. "I am not nearly as creative as this boy your age. He is only 10 and he can trap the village and outrun the ANBU."

"No...You wouldn't be that cruel.. Not even you!" Shikamaru said horrified as he understood what his uncle had done. Why him what had he done to deserve that. He liked quiet for kami's sake not.. That, so troublesome!

Keibi grinned at his horrified nephew glad he had made the right choice. The kid needed a couple more friends that moody Uchiha didn't count. Maybe he would even pick up some energy from his new friend and trap teacher. "Meet him at Ichiraku ramen in 3 hours and i told him you'd pay for dinner."

Shikamaru had never moved as fast before as he did in that moment when he reached for a kunai and lunged at his uncle who just jumped away laughing before he shunshined away. This was going to be more troublesome then the cave had been. At least in the cave he could have been killed to be rid of it all. At Ichiraku's he would have nothing to save him. This was going to be a long day.

* * *

The first thing that met Shikamaru's eyes as he entered the small ramen stand was the orange slurping down ramen. He had obviously been there awhile as there were over 8 bowls sitting to the side already.

"OY! Shika! Your uncle said you were gonna treat me to ramen if i taught you stuff." Naruto yelled ramen flying out of his mouth as he stood up proudly on the stool telling the world Shikamaru was getting lessons.. From Naruto...Oh kami the orange!

He sighed as he slowly walked over to the counter and sat down a couple of stools away from Naruto. "Yeah, he told me." He answered despondently.

Naruto squinted at him making him look like a fox with the whiskers on his face standing out even more then usual covered in ramen broth. "You are too grumpy Shika have some ramen!"

Shikamaru looked in askance as the waitress brought over another bowl to the orang- Naruto. "How much of that are you going to eat?" He asked worried that the money from his allowance wouldn't be enough if he kept it up.

Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "This is my last bowl, cuz ayame-chan said i should go easy when someone else is paying."

Shikamaru looked at the multitude of ramen bowls covering the counter with a raised eyebrow. _Since when is 10 bowls of ramen taking it easy, geez his stomach is troublesome for my wallet._

Looking away from Naruto as he licked the last bowl clean Shikamaru paid the waitress grumbling as he put his empty wallet back in his pants. He almost fell out of the stool when he turned around towards Naruto to find him suddenly sitting on all fours on the stool next to him a wide grin on his face.

"Eh?" Shikamaru asked backing up slightly.

Naruto chuckled bouncing on the stool. "Sorry, sorry just excited to get started no one's ever asked for my help before."

Shikamaru cringed at the very boisterous voice his classmate was using, he was sure he could be heard all over the market district. " Ah, well let's get going then right? "

Bouncing of the stool Naruto waved cheerily at the old ramen stand owner and his daughter. "Later Ayame-chan, Ojiisan." By the time Shikamaru blinked Naruto was already rushing out of the stand clearly expecting Shikamaru to follow.

Sighing slightly Shikamaru started running out of the stand as well not wanting to lose the troublesome blonde. He had hardly gone more then ten feet when he just barely avoided being caught in a wire trap. If he hadn't been so harshly trained by the clan in the last while about his surroundings he would have never evaded the trap before being caught.

Shikamaru watched in interest as the wires from the inconspicuous trash laying on the ground lashed out in a spiral, obviously meant to loop around his legs to tie them together and reduce his mobility as well as force him down on the ground.

He wordlessly turned towards the nearby alley his chakra sensing ability not able to miss Naruto standing in the shadows. He smirked seeing the blonde's pout over evading his trap. He was about to make an uncharacteristic snarky comment, no doubt Sasuke's influence when with a yelp he lost his footing and slammed into the nearby wall.

Naruto grinned as he jumped in front of Shikamaru loosening the wire's that had caught his legs. "Just cuz you see one trap doesn't mean danger's over, i already trapped this alley before i even ate."

Standing up dusting his clothes off Shikamaru looked down to see that the first trap had somehow set off a second one behind him. The second which was connected trough the wall through a small drilled hole into the alley where Naruto had been, newly drilled if the small amount of dust he saw was any clue.

"You were standing there ready to pull so that if i avoid the first trap i would either be too focused on that to see you reel me in, or too focused on you to notice my feet were already caught in case i saw you in the alley. The alley which was too dark for me too be able to see you holding the wire. The only clue was the small hole and the dust signifying it was a newly made hole and even then i was too arrogant to pay attention to those details." Shikamaru summarized succinctly feeling slightly stupid to have gone in feeling superior to his classmate. He was really taking too much influence from Sasuke wasn't he?

Naruto grinned at him as he started picking up the wire, Shikamaru grudgingly went to pick up the first trap examining the metal disk that looked like regular garbage but had somehow been able to spin a good amount of wire.

Turning towards Naruto bustling to pull all the wire back trough the hole in the wall Shikamaru had to wonder if his uncle wasn't right after all. ANBU traps might be cool but they would all be generic stuff, the stuff they got taught in their textbooks kinda stuff. Not creative never seen stuff that Naruto could apparently design and pull off. Shikamaru while not an expert trapper knew almost everything you could now about traps in Konoha, theoretically anyway and he had never seen these devices.

"Oy, Naruto did you make these up yourself?" He asked as he tossed the lumpy disk in-between his hands.

Naruto grinned proudly."Yuup! Now catch me if you can!" He hardly finished wrapping up before he was bounding off again leaving a startled Shikamaru to curse and try and catch up knowing he would no doubt be caught in another trap in a few minutes.

* * *

Several hours later found an exhausted Shikamaru covered in paint and feathers walking trough Konoha with a wildly grinning Naruto who didn't even look winded.

Shikamaru had already resignedly consented to meeting with the boisterous boy once a week to train traps, stealth and general trickery. In exchange he would help him with the text book stuff and Taijutsu.

They weren't too far off from the Nara grounds when one of his cousins suddenly dropped in front of them with a stern look on his face. Shikamaru had felt his chakra coming in but figured he would have passed them not stop in front of them. Nara Damu never really interacted with Shikamaru so it was unexpected to see him.

The 20 year old was a career chuunin that had worked in the T&I before the secession from Konoha and he rarely had time for his younger cousin.

Being too tired too wait for his cousin to actually speak his mind since he was just standing there frowning at him Shikamaru started to walk around him just to be stopped by a hand to his chest. Looking up in his cousins face he was surprised to see the glare he was giving Naruto. "Troublesome, Damu did you want something?" He complained his eyes taking in the resigned look Naruto wore and the tensing of his cousins muscles. _What the hell is going on here? I know Naruto can't have done a prank on him he's been with me._

"little cousin, you would do well to stay away from that...thing." Damu said harshly.

Shikamaru frowned as he saw Naruto's shoulders slump and smacked his cousin's hand away. "Your being troublesome Damu, Naruto is alright even if he is too damn energetic."

Damu grimaced and clapped a hand onto Shikamaru's shoulder." Cousin... I insist!" He breathed out harshly his teeth grating together.

Naruto grinned hesitantly and backed up slightly. "Hey it's ok Shika, I'll see you around right?"

Shikamaru pinched his nose. This was so troublesome, why couldn't he have one day without something making his mind explode. "It's not okay Naruto." He muttered as he put a hand on his cousins arm and forcefully removed it.

"Naruto is my friend now Damu, i don't care what he pranked you with you shouldn't be such an ass." Shikamaru said calmly not wanting to escalate the situation. He almost stumbled seeing the beaming smile Naruto sent him. And was that tears he was blinking away!? How the hell was Naruto treated if he reacted this strongly to him just saying that.

Damu sneered at him and turned around to leave sending a parting. "You'll regret that friendship when the monster stabs you in the back cousin." As he left.

Shikamaru rubbed his forehead feeling the migraine coming. What the hell was going on he was way too tired too deal with this troublesome shit. Turning to Naruto he gave him a tired smile. "Hey I'll see you after the academy right, its probably for the best i walk the rest of the way alone."

Naruto beamed at him and nodded cheerfully like the previous altercation didn't even happen. With a quick wave he was already rushing off leaving Shikamaru alone with his thoughts.

_Troublesome but something is off with this entire thing... And i didn't miss the looks sent our way or more specifically his way the entire walk here. What is going on?_

"**Isn't it obvious pet, even we can figure out what's lurking behind that boy."**

Shikamaru froze cold sweat forming as he stared in horror at his arm where the summoning tattoo of a dark smiling eye was moving looking back at him. Dear Kami the monster could follow him out of the cave!?

"**ShiShiShi, We are enjoying your terror, give us more!"**

* * *

AN: Poor shikamaru again he doesn't get a break. I hope you enjoy some Naruto interaction as well as some more info on the terror hiding in the Nara forest. Reviews will be welcome until next time Ja ne


	4. Old men

AN: Here's another chapter of Shikamaru and his struggles. Here we finally get to see that Sarutobi Hiruzen is indeed a Kage and not a pink fluffy bunny giving chocolates to all the children. Also Danzou makes another appearence.

_Like this:_ thoughts

**Like this**: Kyuubi scary monster talk

Enjoy the chapter. And if you don't well its a free fanfiction world just mosey on over to the next one.

* * *

No matter how hard Shikamaru tried after those few moments of fear had settled he could not get the tattoo to communicate with him again, he didn't know whether to feel relieved or pissed. He supposed that it was more amusing for it to let Shikamaru figure out himself what was wrong with Naruto and everyone's treatment of him.

If he concentrated on the issue as he was now that he was walking home alone after the confrontation with his cousin, he realized there was a lot he had always somehow missed.

His textbooks at the academy would always be smaller, dirtier, incomplete. He somehow even when he wasn't doing anything got sent for detentions in the middle of important classes. The fact that he only ever wore that hideous jumpsuit now seemed like a given when he recollected that he had _never _seen the boy in a store at all. If the treatment of him was spread to the store owners as well which seemed logical considering everyone else's apparent opinion then he couldn't blame Naruto for staying away. It would be way too troublesome getting tossed out of stores or blamed for theft.

What angered and confused Shikamaru the most was the fact that he had noticed all of this ever since he started the Academy but hadn't really _noticed, _because everyone treated him like that so it wasn't anything unusual. Only now that he had spent some time with Naruto did it scream from all around him that something was wrong with all of this. _I've unconsciously ignored how he was treated all this time as everyone was doing it and i without even giving it a conscious thought followed along... That's really dangerous.. Could explain why its so easy for most people to follow along. It's in people's minds that his treatment is normal so they don't even see anything wrong with it. _Shikamaru thought angry with himself.

Finally reaching the gates of the Nara compound he groaned as his senses could feel the chakra of one Uchiha Sasuke hiding in a tree to his left. Would this crappy day never end!

"Sasuke, i swear if your going to be troublesome too today i will choke you into unconsciousness with my jutsu!" He threatened halfheartedly at the tree, knowing at the level he was Sasuke was too fast to be caught in the kagemane.

Sasuke effortlessly dropped down the tree and crossed his arms over his chest looking unusual enough that it took Shikamaru a second to believe what he was seeing. Sasuke.. Uchiha Sasuke was pouting! _This day is going to seriously kill me I just know it. _Shikamaru thought grumpily.

"I saw you training with the dobe." Sasuke intoned quietly searching Shikamaru's face.

Shikamaru groaned and slapped his face. He did not need this right now. "Sasuke, you have nothing to be jealous off I was just training with Naruto in traps as i will once a week from now on, your still my training partner."

Sasuke frowned and looked away. "Not jealous of the dobe." He scoffed.

Shikamaru sweat-dropped. _Your still pouting Sasuke..._

"Your welcome to join in you know, I'm sure you could learn a lot from Naruto in stealth and traps he is really good at them." Shikamaru suggested. _And it would be way less troublesome for me if i could deal with both of you at once and then have the week off._

Sasuke raised an eyebrow and just stared at him. Shikamaru shook his head sighing. He was well skilled enough in Sasuke speech to know he just questioned him of his sanity suggesting Naruto could teach him.

Shikamaru was losing patience. His mind was still reeling from the fact he had ignored every signal about Naruto for years as well as the exhaustion from a day full of training. He did not have the patience to deal with Sasuke being a drama queen.

"If you want to kill Itachi so badly you should grab every advantage you can to get stronger." He snapped. "Even if your taught by a 4 year old, if that 4 year old knows something you don't you should grab it not whine about it like you were said 4 year old."

Sasuke's whole body stiffened as he glared at Shikamaru. "Don't! Say! His! Name!" He gritted out his hands now in fists shaking.

Shikamaru internally swore he was really too tired to deal with people right now. Damage control time. "Look, Sasuke I don't mean to offend you but everything you can learn can only be good for you so why not do it. Naruto isn't that bad once you get to be around him a bit anyway."

Sasuke nodded stiffly. "Apology accepted." before turning around and walking away leaving Shikamaru staring at him with a tick starting to develop in his eye. _When the hell did i apologize? People are troublesome._

Opening the gate he screamed out loud as his uncle suddenly dropped down in front of him, he hadn't senses his chakra at all. _Dammit I am always able to tell his chakra is coming otherwise, this day is rattling me too much I'm not keeping in control of my emotions and losing focus too easily._

Keibi looked around frowning slightly as he could see Uchiha Sasuke walking away in the distance, he looked back at his nephew. "Damu said you were being bothered by a low life degenerate Shikamaru, did he mean the Uchiha?" He asked scratching his head. The Uchiha was a bit fucked up that was true but he wouldn't call him a degenerate.

"Don't even get me started on Damu. Naruto and I were just walking home when he decides to stop us and demand that i stop associating with Naruto." Shikamaru said shortly sitting down on the ground as he finished as he apparently was going to be stopped from going home and to bed all damn day today.

Keibi frowned heavily scratching his nose. "He did did he?" _He had me rush out here just because Shikamaru was hanging out with someone i had sent him to in the first place. I am so kicking his ass._

Shikamaru glared up at his uncle. "Why do all of you adults treat him like that?" He demanded.

Keibi sighed as he stared down at his nephew, he had been pretty sure Shikamaru would easily notice the treatment of the Uzumaki boy so he had prepared for the question. "I can't tell you brat, S-class secret."

Watching Shikamaru's eyes turn cold and calculating he knew he had sent him on a hunt that would no doubt have his nephew find out about the Kyuubi, he was too clever not to. He wasn't worried either way as Shikamaru would not be the kind of person to fall to everyone's prejudice and superstition.

Shikamaru's mind was going very fast as he pondered the implications of his new friend having anything to do with an S-class secret. _This is too damn troublesome Naruto.. What about you could be such a secret that they would execute anyone that told it?_

Keibi suddenly hauled him up on his shoulder and started jogging back to the house figuring he would give his nephew a break for once. It was a testament to how tired he was that instead of thinking more on this new puzzle Shikamaru simply fell asleep on his uncle's shoulders before they even reached the house.

* * *

In the Hokage tower the Sandaime Hokage of Konohagakure frowned as he put away the crystal ball he used to keep an eye on his charge Uzumaki Naruto. He had been surprised to see a young Nara training with him. Shikamaru if he remembered the name correctly. _Now is that innocent or are the Nara trying to align Naruto towards them for the purpose of having a pet demon vessel?_

"So that was Minato's brat huh? He looks stupider then i remember from last time i was here."

Sarutobi raised an eyebrow. "When did Naruto-kun ever go to the hot-springs Jiraiya?" It was said in a slightly mocking tone that the Toad sannin just shrugged off as he went to stand by the window. He had arrived for his 3 year report on the spy network he had created during his self imposed exile.

"I do check in from time to time sensei..." Jiraiya pointed out slightly bitterly as he wasn't allowed to even give Naruto some money to have a good living because it was too _risky_. _Risky my old wrinkled ass. Making everyone hate him and treat him like shit isn't risky at all sensei eh? And people wonder why i only visit Konoha once in awhile...Or why Tsunade and Orochimaru both left the village.._

Sarutobi put some tobacco in his pipe and lit it with a small fire jutsu of his own creation that really had no other use then to make some perfect smoke for his pipe. Sighing in bliss as he took a drag of his only small enjoyment in his old age he pierced Jiraiya with a serious stare. "You saw the other boy with Naruto-kun, yes?"

Jiraiya rolled his eyes from where he stood by the window looking out at Konoha. "Yes sensei, he wasn't very hard to spot since i was you know, watching with you!"

Sarutobi frowned. "Don't start with me Jiraiya." He intoned softly. _I will take no more sass from someone that abandoned his village._

Jiraiya rolled his shoulders easing the tension he was feeling from being back here in the office, with his sensei, getting silently scolded again. _Just like old times eh? But now there is no Orochimaru for you to praise you old monkey so just get to what the hell you want._

Sarutobi seeing the silence as an apology continued unabashed. "That was a young Nara you could see training with Naruto-kun... The first actual friendship Naruto-kun has ever had before."

Jiraiya smiled bitterly still refusing to look at his sensei. "First friend at 10 eh? How very strange for the village pariah to finally find some happiness."

Sarutobi slammed the desk with his free hand starting to get severely annoyed being constantly reminded on where he has failed from someone that wasn't a missing nin only because of his sufferance. "Jiraiya! Pull of the blinders and use that brain you supposedly still have after all your whoring and look at the big picture!" He barked.

Seeing that his old student was listening Sarutobi continued. "You would have heard by now that the Nara clan seceded from Konoha, all their active shinobi essentially retiring. Except for one young student..." He let that sink in for a moment. "Funny isn't it Jiraiya-kun that the Nara are befriending the demon vessel when they only have the one person in all of Konoha that even could befriend him."

Jiraiya snorted before laughing quietly to himself. _Demon vessel now? Your colours are showing sensei.. _"You do realize that it could simply be the boy getting friendly instead of a big conspiracy to destroy Konoha right?"

"You know very well i can't take such a big risk with a clan that is essentially not part of Konoha anymore, they are a liability." Sarutobi bit out harshly.

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow disbelievingly. "Don't give me that, the Nara are loyal, the only reason they are where they are is because you had to push that stupid decree through in the first place."

Sarutobi shrugged another puff of smoke leaving his pipe." The support of the civilians on that thrice damned council gives Konoha more then twice the income of any other village.. Against that two dead Nara simply wasn't worth it."

"Why the hell did they care anyway? Civilians hardly know who the Nara are let alone want to get involved in their business, did you bring it up with them?." Jiraiya questioned curiously.

"Danzou, no doubt." Sarutobi said dismissively.

Jiraiya turned around and stared at his sensei aghast. "And yet you still signed that thing knowing it was Danzou behind it? Have you gone senile sensei? That man wants your hat more then anything."

Sarutobi laughed softly. "I have Danzou's measure, he might think he is hidden but i know enough of his operation to execute him should i so wish."

"Then, why?" Jiraiya demanded. _Why are you feeding and supporting the villain again? Just like with Orochimaru.. You will just let loose a stronger more powerful villain by leaving them alone to grow stronger._

"He is useful... Nothing makes peace more easy then waving the scary warmonger in front of their faces. Besides most of the things he does are a benefit to Konoha and his mistakes aren't big enough to make up for his usefulness.. Yet." Sarutobi explained pleasantly a tilt to his lips that showed he knew exactly how aggravating this was for Jiraiya to hear.

"Yes that worked so well when it lost you the Nara clan and almost took the Akimichi and Yamanaka with them." Jiraiya said dryly not at all that surprised that his sensei was doing something like that.

Sarutobi put his pipe down fiddling with it a bit. "That was my mistake, i admit as much." He let his fingers trail the intricate pipe he had received once upon a time from his rival and friend/enemy. "I did not believe Danzou had any reason to intervene in the civilian council as such, as he despises the very notion of giving civilians any say."

Jiraiya frowned a serious expression on his face. "If you can drop the ball on Danzou that easily how can you say you have his measure sensei?"

"The council was an anomaly, very different from any work he has ever done, i can't fathom why he bothered as he is more upset then me that the Nara clan left us."

Jiraiya glanced out the window again specifically looking towards the Nara compound. "I am not so sure that was so accidental sensei.. If he offers enough the Nara clan might support him in his bid for your seat. No one has ever taking him serious enough for him to actually openly fight you on this but with a whole clan supporting him he would have the backing to try."

Sarutobi chuckled darkly. "Let him try. Plans to exterminate the Nara clan in case of insurrection is already in the hands of the ANBU commander. If they step one foot out of line they will be no threat to Konoha again."

Jiraiya choked as he stared at his sensei... No.. At the Hokage as he carelessly discusses the annihilation of one of Konoha's most loyal clans. The current disagreement was just that.. A disagreement that could easily be fixed by just putting two names on a stone. _Was he the only sensible one in Konoha!?_

"Either way i will have ANBU watch the Nara clan and especially the young boy that is socializing with Naruto-kun, no mistakes will be allowed, if the Nara are plotting they will be disposed of." Sarutobi said with finality looking every bit the Hokage he still was even after the many years he had served.

Jiraiya left the Hokage tower 2 hours later with orders to track down Orochimaru as well as to keep an ear out in case any enemy villages were sending feelers out to the Nara clan and eliminate any such actions.

_Sensei... I can't help but admire you as much as I hate you.. You are a true Kage. Two Naras mean nothing if you receive enough of a benefit to ignore them. Naruto as well, if his destruction meant Konoha's salvation you would slit his throat and seal the kyuubi into someone else in a heartbeat. Though I know you care for Minato's son and for the village.. I hate your methods and I hate that Naruto can't live a normal life because of your machinations. Because of you the Sannin broke apart, because of you Minato is dead, because of you Konoha's clans are in disarray. _ Jiraiya looked up at the sky as he travelled through the rain that masked his tears. _Because of you Sensei... My godson will never know me and never live a happy life. You are truly a true Kage.. Nothing matters but the village, not even your students._

Looking back at the village he had only seen three times in the last 9 years he felt like he was betraying his student and his son, but he had always been weak and could not stand against his Sensei like Orochimaru and Tsunade had. He was still the dead last that begged for approval from the Kami no shinobi. He looked ahead again and left the village of his birth for however many years he could stand to stay away before he was back begging the Hokage to be allowed to teach Naruto.

* * *

"Have my measure do you Sarutobi?" Danzou muttered sarcastically in his office deep under Konoha. The listening seal he had carved inside the pipe Sarutobi always carried with him that he gave him over 30 years ago was again giving him a wealth of information.

He pondered the discussion his old rival had with the toad sannin. And wasn't that a surprise catching one of the three back in Konoha yet again if only for a few hours. Why Sarutobi didn't put his foot down and force Jiraiya and Tsunade back he could never understand.

_Its nice to have confirmation he has no idea of the full extent of what i have been doing. Even so... It's troubling that he is going to keep such a harsh watch on the Nara, it will make it very difficult for me to approach Shikamaru anytime soon. _Danzou mused as stared at the papers neatly arranged in front of him on his desk. They were all the information that Root had managed to find so far about Shikamaru's habits, personality and strength. It was very interesting that he was interacting with the demon vessel.. And even more so that Torune reported that his uncle had set that meeting up to begin with..

_What are you up to Keibi? Is Sarutobi right and you are trying to grab the vessel for yourself? A fool's errand if I've ever seen one, Sarutobi will kill you all before allowing that._

His eye narrowed as he felt the chakra emitted from the wall, he waved off the opening lunge Fuu was starting as he waited. _So he is here again, early this time too.. What a busy year this has been, truly I still live in interesting times._

Out from his wall like rising from the surface of water came what looked like a Venus flytrap draped in a black cloak with red clouds. As it fully left the wall the flytrap opened to show a weirdly coloured humanoid that was half black half white and with green hair and yellow eyes.

"**Where's Akatsuki's payment Danzou, you are late on paying up!" **The black half spoke, while the white half made faces at him. "Don't be so harsh I'm sure Danzou has it right?" The white half asked staring at Danzou. "**If he doesn't we eat him, Tobi says so."**

Danzou scoffed in disgust as he waved Fuu of yet again as his subordinate was itching to attack the Akatsuki member threatening him. "Zetzu, I am worth more to your employer alive then dead, we both know this so you can stop posturing."

"Hey, hey, hey. That wasn't a yes i have the payment was it?" White Zetzu asked himself quietly. "**No more playing, pay or die." **The black Zetsu retorted.

Danzou narrowed his eye at the thing that was questioning him. He had dealings with this Tobi that he had never even met for years ever since he had sent Zetsu to make contact with him with an offer he couldn't refuse. He still had no information on the elusive Tobi though and it was rankling him quite a lot.

"I have already used your services to the extent i have wished for... I want to meet your superior before there will be any more payments or any more co-operation between us." Danzou drawled feeling safe in the knowledge that his Root was already amassing outside the room to defend him if necessary.

"Danzou has been good with information of course he can meet Tobi." White Zetsu said whimsically. **"Tobi refuses to meet with him shut up idiot!" **Black Zetsu growled.

Danzou slowly put his hands together in front of his face. "We are in a stalemate then.." He intoned as Fuu immediately wove hand signs together as that was the sign to start the attack, finishing the hand seals in a second he whispered. "Dokugiri (Poison mist)" Releasing a huge purple cloud of poison immediately surrounding Zetsu as he was just a few feet away.

The cloud also gave Danzou the chance to vault over his desk and appear behind Fuu as he undid the bandage covering his Sharingan eye. The cloud instead of spreading across the room was still just situated around Zetsu as Fuu was still holding the hand seal controlling it.

Danzou narrowed his eyes as his Sharingan picked up no chakra behind that cloud. "Below" he barked as he jumped away doing hand seals as Fuu was enveloped in roots holding him down as Zetsu rose from the ground behind him ready to chomp down.

"Fuuton Shinkugyoku (Wind release Vacuum bullets.)" Danzou intoned and fired dozens of wind bullets out of his mouth in a wide area as to make it almost impossible to dodge.

Zetsu simply disappeared into the ground again reappearing from the ceiling frowning down at him. "How mean to risk your own subordinate like that." White Zetsu complained.

"**You are an asshole."** Black Zetsu said bluntly.

Danzou didn't even spare a look to where Fuu laid on the ground bleeding profusely from the large hole in his side as Root member after Root member rushed in weapons ready, having gained easy enough access to the room with the multitude of large holes littering the walls now. Fuu had been lucky to be only slightly clipped or he would have been dead. "You can't win here." Danzou said calmly as Fuu was dragged out of the room to receive medical attention as it seemed the battle was in a lull.

"**Maybe... Maybe not." **Black Zetsu said sharply. "You might win the battle, but can you win the war when Tobi gets mad, he is a good boy normally." White Zetsu chortled. "**He is in no shape or form a good boy. He will kill you... Painfully." **Black Zetsu snorted as they sunk into the ceiling their chakra dissipating from the area.

"Danzou-Sama are you injured?" One of the few Root medics said kneeling in front of him as the other Root subordinates formed a circle around him, backs towards him facing outside looking for threats.

Danzou sighed as he started wrapping the bandage around his head again. "Stand down, he is long gone by now. I do not need the attention of a medic so you can go treat my injured tool."

He had no fear for any reprisal from this mysterious Tobi. No matter what he was too well defended by Root to be easily assassinated within Konoha's wall. Also whatever reason Tobi had for remaining a mystery would prevent him from personally get involved as he wouldn't want to tip his hands.

Either way Danzou got all the use he could out of them and got away without paying them. With a negligent flash of his chakra the large scroll hidden inside a safe under his desk detailing the information of every shinobi in Konoha including ANBU and their spies abroad, went up in smoke. He didn't need that as insurance in case Zetsu was more capable then he believed anymore. It was for the best that he hadn't been forced to pay up with that information as he had no idea as of yet what Tobi would do with it.

Giving a last glance to his destroyed office he walked off with a contingent of Root surrounding him.

* * *

Just minutes after his escape from Root headquarters Zetsu came out of the floor in a small house situated in a cave in River country the location where he was supposed to drop of the information from Danzou.

"**Tobi is not going to be happy."** Black Zetsu growled annoyed. "We should have stopped for a snack on the way i hate being yelled at on an empty stomach." White Zetsu replied.

Suddenly he froze as he felt a presence behind him unmistakeably belonging to Tobi having arrived through his transportation jutsu. Turning around he sweat dropped as a dango stick disappeared through the orange swirly mask with a loud sucking noise.

"**Tobi, Danzou attacked us and refused to pay." **Black Zetsu reported. **"I have the recording if you want to see it." **

Tobi chuckled as he leaned back against the wall in the small hideout. "I presumed he would at this point, I was asking for a lot for such a patriot to let go." He absently took the mask off showing his true appearance to his only truly loyal subordinate.

"He attacked us too, and we didn't get to eat a single person." White Zetsu complained. **"He was an ass." **Black Zetsu confirmed quietly.

Tobi shook his head. "It was expected, Danzou is if nothing predictable. You wouldn't have been able to take him down with his entire army of puppets throwing themselves in front of him anyway."

"He had some papers on his desk, all of them information on one single academy student that he was studying." White Zetsu pointed out. "**I saw it all." **Black Zetsu agreed.

Tobi shrugged. "Probably Itachi's little brother then, not surprising that Danzou is keeping an eye on him all things considered."

"**It was a Nara Shikamaru age 9 son of the previous clan head." **Black Zetsu reported. "He looked too bony to eat." White Zetsu complained.

"Hmm. Unusual for Danzou to poke his nose into high profile kids like that, he prefers them orphaned and unwanted." Tobi mused out loud. "I might have to look into that at some point and see what the kid is all about."

"Yo**ur** n**o**t **ma**d a**bo**u**t** **Da**n**z**ou?" Zetsu asked.

Tobi shrugged. "When an ant gets in your way what would be upsetting about that. Sooner or later the ant inevitably gets crushed. Danzou is no threat to Akatsuki if anything he's just an annoyance."

"**So we stop surveillance?" **Zetsu asked frowning. Konoha had been a goldmine of snacks just ripe for the picking.

"Yes, Konoha is of no consequence right now, instead i have a prospective member for you to scout out." Tobi said his one sharingan eye piercing the schizophrenic Akatsuki member.

"Aww, Kakuzu killed another one." White Zetsu groaned. "**He didn't even call us to eat the corpse." **Black Zetsu interjected disappointed.

"I have a meeting, get to it Zetsu and i don't need to point out what to do if he says no correct?" Tobi says putting his mask back on before throwing a scroll at Zetsu before he looked to be sucked through his sharingan until there was nothing left.

"Tobi has left the building." White Zetsu said sadly. "**Shut up." **

* * *

The only thing he could see was tree's, all around him nothing but tree's. When he had been challenged to another spar he had believed it would have been yet again a straight-up Taijutsu spar not this.. This hide and seek business. _Damn him, he probably slacked off and went to sleep in one of these tree's while I'm running around trying to fight him. _

Above him in the vast tree canopy Shikamaru smirked seeing Uchiha Sasuke running around like a headless chicken. His somewhat friend/training partner was totally clueless of anything that wasn't a straight up fight. Which is why he had arranged to set it up like this. He would show Sasuke that shinobi needed to be sneaky and fight dirty. _No shinobi will ever survive going up to an enemy and yell fight me before rushing straight ahead. _

Silently using chakra walking Shikamaru leaped from tree to tree far above Sasuke already having set up traps in the area he was luring the Uchiha too. He had picked up several small rocks when he had set the traps and now amused himself throwing them down into the direction he wanted Sasuke to go. As he thought the Uchiha obliged and doggedly followed every sound straight into the trapped part of the forest. Shikamaru had to hold back a chuckle as he sped up to arrive there first. _I can understand Naruto somewhat now. It's totally troublesome setting something like this up, but i feel excited knowing Sasuke is getting caught in it._

Arriving in the small clearing Shikamaru softly touched down on the small un-trapped part of it and waited patiently. After just a few minutes he could hear cursing and soon a thoroughly pissed off Uchiha covered in dirt and branches jumped into the clearing.

"You bast-" He started to say before suddenly falling on his ass knocking the air out of him as he had landed on one of Shikamaru's traps. It was basically a wooden board buried slightly under the soil with a small explosive seal. When pressure was applied it would ignite and launch the board up. As it wasn't a big charge at all it would only knock someone off their footing and cause them to fly back a bit. However if Shikamaru had wanted too he could have blown his feet off.

"You say something Sasuke?" Shikamaru asked mildly as Sasuke stood up twitching and brandishing a kunai in his right hand.

_He's just baiting you. He's just baiting you. Don't take the bait, don't be stupid and take the bait. _Sasuke chanted as he eyed his surroundings seeing if he could spot any traps. He acknowledged that he was arrogant and with that first trap he already knew his rival was trying to knock into his head the usefulness of traps and sneakiness, he still wouldn't train with the dobe though. _I just need to stay calm and not fall for his baiting._

Shikamaru hmmed quietly before scratching his chin. "Naruto didn't fall for that trap at all.. Who's the dobe again?"

With a snarl Sasuke charged with kunai in hand even as he himself knew that he had just messed up. He managed to stop himself just a few steps in but that didn't save him from being caught in yet another trap. Two separate wire traps that couldn't be seen in the high grass snapped around his legs and pulled them the opposite way leaving Sasuke doing a pretty nice split.

"Your doing better, your almost at the point where you don't fly in a rage whenever someone says anything at all offensive." Shikamaru pointed out dryly taking pity on his training partner and throwing a kunai cutting one of the wires off. _That looked painful..._

Sasuke groaned as he picked up the kunai he had dropped when he had been forced down into a split and cut the other wire. "You are a bastard." He spat out. "You are right that it's my weakness though." He grumpily acknowledged as he stood up.

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. _Progress I guess.. _" At least you are admitting it now, you could do well with being sneakier. Especially as everyone will expect you to run around flinging jutsus what with you being an Uchiha."

Sasuke hned and gave Shikamaru a nod, he respected his fellow avenger but even though he saw the point he was never going to leave the Uchiha way. He needed to beat Itachi as an Uchiha not as some sneaky trap maker.

Shikamaru shrugged seeing he still couldn't convince Sasuke to stop being so open and straightforward about everything, so un-ninja like. "Alright, let's have a regular Taijutsu spar then, i have no more traps set up." He suggested.

Sasuke smirked knowing he was still the stronger in Taijutsu. "You are going down!" He promised.

Shikamaru scratched his head yawning theatrically. "We will see, getting beaten up is troublesome so i might avoid it all together."

"Just try to avoid me!" Sasuke yelled confidently as he rushed in aiming to get Shikamaru moving away from his position as the Nara was the worst at defending while on the move.

Just as he was a few feet away from Shikamaru who still hadn't moved Sasuke's battle cry turned into a yell of disgust as he fell down into a pit of mud. Getting his head above the surface he glared at the laughing Shikamaru and spat out a mouth full of mud. "You said no more traps!" He yelled affronted. Shikamaru couldn't help but to laugh even more. With how troublesome things had been lately this was just too funny to ignore.

When he finally stopped laughing he helped the soaked Uchiha out of the hole. "Never trust what an enemy says, especially when you know the enemy had control of the area before you." He said cheekily.

With a grunt he was suddenly pushed down into the mud hole courtesy of the aggravated Uchiha. "How do you even hide that hole from me i was sure it was all grass?"

Shikamaru shrugged, mud falling off his shoulders. "Just a minor genjutsu, I'll teach it to you later if you want?"

Sasuke nodded pleased to have another jutsu even if it was just a small genjutsu. "Why aren't you pissed off!" He growled with narrowed eyes as Shikamaru simply floated in the mud hole.

"Too troublesome, besides it's hot today and this feels nice and chilly." Shikamaru replied lazily.

Sasuke rolled his eyes as he sat down shaking as much mud off as he could waiting for the lazy ass Nara to decide to get out of the hole he had dug. _Why did i decide to train with this nut job?_

* * *

A couple hours later found the two walking through Konoha snacking on some mitarashi dango that Sasuke had grudgingly paid for as he was "defeated" In their spar.

They drew a lot of stares as they were walking both covered in mud and both bruised and bloodied from the quick spar/Taijutsu beat down they had done once Shikamaru left the mud pool. Sasuke even had a pronounced limp from where Shikamaru had managed to score a kick to the back of his knee.

"Victory tastes sweet." Shikamaru said lazily as he ambled along next to Sasuke finishing off his last dango.

"Tch, I beat you in the spar lazy ass." The Uchiha retorted without any real heat.

"That troublesome limp you have going on is proving your statement." Shikamaru pointed out with a slight tilt of the head as he eyed the limping Uchiha.

Sasuke was opening his mouth to retort when they were both assaulted by a loud shriek. Both scowling identically they looked down the street where a shrieking Ino was running towards them one hand waving frantically while one held on to a basket filled with fruit. Trailing behind her was Chouji holding two baskets filled with different groceries.

"Sasuke-kuuuun!" Could be heard all over the street as she closed in, Chouji sheepishly following her as best as he could.

"I will give you anything you want if you choke her until she is quiet right now before she gets here." Sasuke said slowly eyeing the shrieking girl with distaste. _Pathetic excuse for a wannabe kunoichi, fawning all over me, shrieking at me._

Shikamaru shook his head with an apologetic smile. "I would if i could, but her father is the head of Torture and Interrogation and i have known him since i was born. I have no wish to spend the rest of my life dancing around in a tutu singing about imaginary ponies."

Sasuke's face took on a pained expression. "He was my therapist a couple of months ago. I'd rather not think of him being able to do those things to me." _Not that i would ever be interested in someone like that anyway, the Uchiha clan can only grow with strong women producing good Uchiha._

"Oh gosh! Sasuke what happened to you!?" Ino yelled as she took in her crush's appearance. Ripped muddy clothing, bruises all over him. She turns to yell at Shikamaru and drops her jaw as she notices he looks the same.

"Hey, Shika, Sasuke." Chouji pants as he catches up a small grin on his face that turns questioning when he see's their state.

"Training." Is Sasukes very short clipped response as he stares straight ahead.

Ino holds her hands to her mouth eyes showing stars as she stares at Sasuke and Shikamaru. "SHIKA! You never told me you were friends with Sasuke-kun!" She shrieks almost swooning in place.

Shikamaru absently picks his ear after having it shouted in. "Troublesome, your too loud Ino." He says before walking past her greeting Chouji." What you got there Chouji? Your pops sent you out for ingredients again?"

"Don't ignore me BAKA!" Ino yells again as she starts berating Shikamaru who ignores her to talk to Chouji. Sasuke looked left, then right. And seeing no one seems to be paying attention to him he starts walking away. _Heh stupid girl. _He thinks smirking.

Shikamaru who's looking at Ino with a bored face and yawning at the appropriate times in her rant can feel Sasuke's chakra start moving away from them. _Should i let him get away? Hmm... He did punch me out once today so he's on his own i guess, its more troublesome for me to stand her listening to Ino anyway.._

"Ino." He interrupts pointing behind him. "Sasuke's getting away."

"Sasuke-kuuuuun! Wait for me! Go on a date with me Sasuke-kuuuuun." She yells as she starts running after the suddenly sprinting Uchiha boy.

"Damn you Nara I will get you next time!" He yells angrily before turning to the blonde harpy girl following him. "Hell no you crazy girl I AM 9 YEARS OLD!"

"That was pretty mean Shika." Chouji chuckled offering his friend an apple. Shikamaru shrugged smirking as he took a bite. "Hey, it got Ino off our backs for probably an hour at least."

Chouji rubbed his head sheepishly before picking up the baskets again. "I will have to run and find her again though as she has some of the ingredients my dad needs."

"Better you then me." Shikamaru said slapping his robust friend on the back while smirking.

"Laugh it up Shika, I'll just tell Ino that you know what Sasuke likes in a girl. She will pester you forever." Chouji teased as he walked away.

"Troublesome." Shikamaru groaned as he resumed walking home.

Before he had gotten more then a couple steps he was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. He turned shocked as he had not even noticed the approaching chakra until the hand was on him and it was a very large chakra source as well easily as large as his Uncle's. "Nara Shikamaru. The Hokage wants to see you." The large ANBU said in monotone giving him a slight push to get him walking again, not a gentle one either.

_Oh troublesome, this can't be anything good at all. _Shikamaru thought anxiously.

* * *

So there you have it chapter 4 and poor shikamaru has people watching from all over.. Watching just to see why the first person was watching.. Damn you Danzou lol.

So here you see Sarutobi letting loose some of his kage persona with one of the few people he remotely can act like himself too. He does want peace but really he is not that much different from Danzou differing only in training and casualty rate of their shinobi. He might act all nice and sure he still has a heart. In the end he is the kami no shinobi and he will kill even a hundred newborns if that gave his village a slight edge.

Until next time Ja ne


	5. The Descent into Darkness

Sorry for the long wait, on the plus side i have a week or so off so i should be able to crank out two-four chapters and move away from the pre-genin storyline. Hopefully you won't hate the fact that Shikamaru won't be as goody two shoes as say Naruto. If you do.. Well then why are you reading this? Go read canon and its saccharine good feelings nice ninja story.

Btw Naruto is owned by Kishimoto not myself. Trust me if i owned it Obito would have stayed dead. And Tsunade would give everyone lapdances.

_Like this = Thoughts_

**_Like this= Scary monster talking_**

enjoy the long overdue chapter and again sorry for the wait.

* * *

Shikamaru scowled angrily at the weird looks he got from the villagers as the ANBU escorted him in the most roundabout slowest way towards the Hokage tower. _Are they trying to portray me as a criminal now? With the Hokage's latest plots regarding my clan it would make sense i suppose._

He turned his head to glare at the massive man that was escorting him just go get a cuff to the head pointedly making the message clear, keep your eyes forward. _ Of course since ANBU are the most loyal in Konoha it could simply be the Hokage's loyal bodyguards showing their displeasure with a clan that is seen as less then loyal at the moment. Troublesome._

"Are we planning on seeing the Hokage today?" Shikamaru drawled, careful to keep his eyes forward although they weren't strictly needed anyway as he could sense the man's strong chakra right behind him now that he wasn't hiding it.

A finger tapping him on the neck right on the spine made his hair stand on end as he barely made out the ANBU's whispered. "All too easy."

Shikamaru squared his shoulders and got his breath under control even though he felt like running away screaming, the threat couldn't have been more obvious. Don't comment, Just obey. So ANBU, yet so scary.

Trying not to let his sudden apprehension show Shikamaru quietly walked ahead of the ANBU the rest of the way his mind trying to calculate any reason for why he would be summoned and not a more senior Nara like his Uncle. It took another 20 minutes to reach the tower and he spent another hour nervously waiting outside the Hokage's office, his only company the quiet ANBU agent that had escorted him.

* * *

Sarutobi chuckled softly to himself as his secretary let young Shikamaru in. It appeared from the tension that almost evaporated off the young Nara that his ANBU had shown their displeasure with the clan to the boy. _And i didn't even have to order them!_

"Sit my boy." He offered with a genial smile waving to the chair in front of his desk, not dropping his grandfatherly facade even as Shikamaru marched to the chair as if it was his execution.

As much as he wanted to just stomp down on this Nara rebellion he had to play it more intelligently as to not upset the other clans. That meant he would have to control the Nara heir. And so he would, either through the carrot...or his favourite.. The stick.

"Tea?" He offered to the expensive tea set currently on his desk, a gift from the Lightning Daimyo many years ago. _Too bad i had him assassinated the day before i received the gift, i might have changed my mind, ah well that's how the world works._

He wasn't surprised when the boy mutely shook his head trying to look everywhere but at him. The young boy was proving to be quite the up and coming shinobi candidate but he was but still a boy. _No little squirt will stop me from setting up the pieces to protect Konoha the best, no matter what sacrifice._

He studied the Nara with a soft smile before speaking up. "Young Shikamaru-kun how are you doing after the terrible ordeal that took your parents from us?" _Let's see if you harbour any resentment child._

Sarutobi frowned mentally as the young Nara politely answered that he was doing decently with the help of his friends and his uncle. _Hmm, no crack yet there, it seems his nerves have already strengthened with the mention of his parents. A miscalculation on my part, i had planned to use that to weaken his hold of his emotions not strengthen them._

"Ah, friends like young Naruto-kun perhaps? I know I'm not supposed to have favourites but Naruto is close to my heart, he is an excellent young man wouldn't you say?" Sarutobi asked while filling his pipe up playing the grandfather role to a tee.

A cautious nod from the Nara heir had Sarutobi frowning outright, it seems the young boy was trying to show as little as possible, which meant he either did not trust the Hokage or that he was too nervous to speak. _ Which one is it... It is imperative that i get control of the Nara again so the boy will need to be brought into the fold._

_The carrot it is then for now.. _"I've heard a lot of the good work you've achieved at the academy as well as your extra curricular training. Perhaps a tutor could be arranged as to keep you from being bored?"

Seeing the light in Shikamaru's eyes at the word tutor Sarutobi smirked to himself, the way to loyalty laid in helping his shinobi achieve something and crediting him for being able to do so in the first place.

The boy was already starting to excel at the academy after having been useless before. If a shinobi he assigned started to train the boy and he graduated as the most skilled of his generation the credit would fall onto him for giving the boy a tutor.

Both the boy and the general public would accredit him for another genius rising from the ranks. He had done so many times before and it would work again, and if not... Well the stick had worked many times before as well.

Sarutobi puffed on his pipe as he brought out some paperwork and quickly and expertly signed it and handed it to Shikamaru. "Give this to your tutor and she will help with your training, i expect you to keep up though Shikamaru-kun, it is not many that receive this kind of help from the Hokage after all!"

Seeing the boy rush out with the paperwork after being dismissed brought a full smirk to his lips. How easy young children were to manipulate with just some breadcrumbs thrown their way. The Nara heir would be indebted to him and would bring the Nara back into the fold ensuring that Konoha remains the strongest village in the elemental countries.

Little did he know that deep in the catacombs of Konoha another old man listening in had the same idea and planned on suborning the Nara's loyalty to himself.

* * *

Shikamaru made sure to be far away from the Hokage tower before he even looked through the paperwork the Hokage had given him. All in all it had been a very confusing conversation. From the way the Hokage acted it seemed unlikely that he had ordered his ANBU to treat him like a criminal.

He couldn't make heads or tails of what the old man was up too. The paperwork he was clutching in his hand would help him immensely and he was grudgingly feeling thankful for the help with his training. However even that gratitude couldn't stop his analytical mind from picking apart the conversation. Especially bringing Naruto up and how favoured he was and at the same time offering Shikamaru a tutor when he knew Naruto had no help whatsoever. It just felt wrong. Shikamaru knew from how Naruto spoke of the old Hokage that he had pretty much raised Naruto yet no training had been given to the blonde.

Why would he, a known wild card from a clan that was currently not apart of Konoha's forces be given special treatment. It just stank of something that he couldn't quite put his finger on at the moment.

It didn't bode well for him that the Hokage was up to something and that he was involved. After how he dealt with his parent's death and the clan's dissatisfaction Shikamaru just couldn't trust that this was all above board.

He looked at the paperwork again sighing. "I don't have a choice do i?" He muttered tiredly.

If he ignored this the Hokage would be upset, which in anyway you looked at it would be very bad. However if he did take the training he would be seen as the Hokage's little favourite which had lots of positives but also lots of negatives for himself. He did not want that big of a spotlight lighted upon him already it would not help at all.

Reading the paperwork paying close attention to every detail of what appeared to be the apprenticeship contract with a Yuhi Kurenai he gawked at what it entailed. Troublesome!

As an apprentice she has authority over me to an extent and also she was probably not informed of this beforehand so she might be upset over this. That old fox just locked me into his sphere of influence and i can't say no.

Seeing the woman's address at the bottom of the file he resignedly started to make his way to inform the woman of her new apprentice. "Another woman... Kuso I'm starting to think Kami hates me." He grumbled as he moved slowly back into the traffic of the busy Konoha streets.

After about 20 minutes of walking and procrastinating Shikamaru knocked on the door of a modest home in the civilian residential district feeling distinctly uncomfortable with the situation.

He couldn't help the small redness forming on his face as a beautiful woman with red eyes and long luscious dark hair wearing a chuunin vest opened the door looking down at him questioningly.

"Yes, can i help you?" She asked kindly a small smile on her face as she actually squatted slightly to be to his level. _Man i think puberty just arrived Shikamaru though distractedly._

Shikamaru blushed slightly but offered her the file bowing slightly in respect. "I'm sorry Yuhi-san this wasn't my idea and i am very sorry if i inconvenience you with this."

Kurenai raised an eyebrow as the small child in front of her gave her a file and apologized to her. Giving him a curious look she scanned the paper just to stand up slowly and go through it more thoroughly. Finally after a few minutes she looked down at the child that looked ready to bolt and sighed softly. "Come on in Shikamaru? Is it?"

Shikamaru nodded quietly and hesitantly stepped inside the house taking note of the very civilian looking house. He couldn't see any weapons anywhere or any trophies of past conquests. If anything he would have guessed this was completely civilian if not for the Kunoichi standing in front of him.

"Would you like some tea Shikamaru-kun?" Kurenai asked as she bustled around the kitchen island to put the kettle on.

"Ah, please." Shikamaru answered cautiously sitting down on the couch in a living room full of lace and vases. He just felt like something would jump out at him from such an inconspicuous environment.

The room was silent as Kurenai finished the tea and Shikamaru studied the layout of the room subconsciously noting the two windows as escape points

As the cup of steaming hot tea was put in front of him Shikamaru noted that Kurenai was sitting straight across from him without a cup of tea and without relaxing her posture. _Troublesome i knew she was going to be pissed!_

"I see that this has the Hokage's seal so it isn't a forgery, still i would like to know how you've come to be put under my care as i don't remember asking for any 6 year olds to tutor." Kurenai said pointedly but still keeping her tone light.

Unbidden Shikamaru's hackles raised at that. "I'm 9!" He burst out indignantly. Seeing the mirth in Kurenai's eyes and the small smirk he just huffed and crossed his arms together. "The Hokage decided i would benefit from a tutor, i didn't ask for it and i didn't ask for you specifically, this isn't my fault so please don't kill me."

Kurenai just raised an eyebrow and leaned forward a bit unknowingly giving Shikamary a view his 9 year old mind couldn't handle right now. "I am hardly that scary Shikamaru-kun and i certainly don't mind tutoring as I've already helped in some small parts one of your class mates, it is simply very sudden."

Shikamaru blinked as his mind raced through the people in his class trying to fit this calm collected Kunoichi with the people from his year. "Hinata?" He guessed 75 percent sure he was right.

Kurenai blinked and then chuckled softly. "I guess you are a Nara after all guessing that with such little information."

Shikamaru shrugged feeling slightly annoyed how everyone treated him like a fit in the mold Nara, proud as he may be he isn't everyone else. "It wasn't hard since the only girl in the class that doesn't act like an airhead is Hinata, so it was either her or one of the boys and somehow they didn't fit you."

"Well, Hinata has shared some information with me, so i know a little about you. Unless her information is inaccurate you are smart but one of the worst students in the academy, how did you get an apprenticeship?" Kurenai asked softly her eyes holding Shikamaru's eyes in almost a trance.

Shikamaru scoffed. "Not incorrect, just outdated. After my parents were killed i have risen to the top of the class." Shikamaru finished succinctly and sharply. Not willing to be questioned further in that topic.

Kurenai leaned back with a soft "Ah." She smiled sadly not saying a word knowing herself that pity would not be accepted just as she hadn't when her parents had died in the Kyuubi attack.

After a few minutes of silence it was Shikamaru that broke it. "So does this mean you accept me as your apprentice?"

Kurenai chuckled. "You were already accepted as the Hokage has ordered this of me." Her face turned mischievous as she leaned forward as if she was confiding something. "That your actually serious about training just means i won't break you and send your snivelling husk to the Hokage begging to be let go."

Shikamaru gulped incredulously. "Ah..ok..I guess?"

Kurenai smirked as she stood up towering over him. " Do you know what shinobi art i specialize in Shikamaru-kun? "

Seeing Shikamaru's shake of the head she put her hands in a hand seal. "Genjutsu is my art."

Immediately Shikamaru flared his chakra as he slammed his hands together shouting "KAI!"

"Quick reaction, bad awareness." Came the whisper from behind him where Kurenai was leaning over him a kunai to his throat. She laughed in his ear as she withdrew. "Are you capable of learning this do you think or are you going to waste my time?"

Seeing a wholly changed room where the frill laces and vases where replaced with sensible dark furniture as well as an assortment of weapons hanging on a wall and a bookshelf filled with scrolls covering the entirety of another wall Shikamaru nodded his head in awe. The things he could do if he could warp reality like that.

Kurenai nodded sharply. "I'm glad you have the intelligence to see the usefulness of Genjutsu but do you have the skill?"

"My chakra control is excellent and i have already mastered tree walking, water walking and the leaf exercise." Shikamaru rattled of defensively. He had worked hard for awhile now and being deemed inadequate was not even part of his worldview.

Kurenai hmmed thoughtfully." I guess we will work out three days a week in the afternoon's after the academy, maybe i will be able to teach you some actual chakra control exercises instead of those newbie one's."

Shikamaru could almost feel the excitement bleed off of him after a very hard day. This woman thought the chakra control exercises he'd worked so hard for was nothing. Imagine what she could teach him. He was starting to regret being mad at the Hokage for pushing him into this.

It wasn't long after that before Kurenai sent him home and he left with a new bounce in his step.

Back at Kurenai's home the genjutsu hiding her bedroom fell and a frowning Nara Keibi wearing only a towel still wet from his shower entered the living room to a contemplative Kurenai. "That was an unexpected finish to our night." He commented dryly.

Kurenai ran a hand through her long hair letting out a puff of air seeing her lover break her genjutsu. "I'm surprised you didn't rush in and interrupt." She teased as she stood up and eyed the man that had swept her off her feet and into her bed.

Keibi ignored her looking darkly at the front door where his nephew had just left. "The Hokage is playing games with my clan." He muttered.

Kurenai walked up to him and cuddled up to his muscular body frowning slightly. "Don't say things like that, he is the Hokage and if he orders i listen." She admonished softly.

Keibi raised an eyebrow gently putting a hand on her chin and tilting her head up looking into her beautiful eyes. "You can't say teaching my brat was your first plan love."

With a smile Kurenai kissed him softly before letting a hand slip down underneath his towel her nails raking a fastily growing friend that she had come to enjoy greatly these past few weeks. "No i have other plans first so you want to argue or go back to bed." She growled playfully.

Keibi groaned slightly as he frowned down at the temptress he had picked up after his brothers death. "Your cheating!" He deadpanned.

Kurenai smiled innocently as her hand started moving more forcefully. "In what way my dear?" She asked impishly.

Keibi snorted as he grabbed her closer to him. "Because using Genjutsu to make it seem like a naked Tsunade-sama and Tsume are having sex while yelling my name is definitely cheating you minx."

Kurenai laughs softly as she puts her other hand on his chin. "Take me to the bedroom and I'll team up with them to take care of you, my Genjutsu will make sure you feel every second!" She whispers sensually.

Needless to say Shikamaru couldn't have been further away from Nara Keibi's mind for the rest of the night.

* * *

"What are you doing here Orochimaru hmm?"

A hood was pulled down showing the grinning face of the Snake Sannin who did a mock bow for his captive audience. "Why Danzou is that anyway to talk to the man which will make your decrepit old body useful again." He hissed out his eyes easily cataloguing the Root servants covering the corridor.

"The exchange was for river country 2 months from now, it must be hard to keep track of time digging through mud outside of Konoha as any plain dung-beetle." Danzou dryly commented waving his agents down, whatever reason the snake had to show up in Konoha he was no threat do Danzou down here.

Orochimaru chuckled darkly chakra starting to rise off him as Root tensed ready for the opening gambit. "Sure of yourself aren't you _Old man_?"

Danzou scoffed tapping his cane on the ground harshly. "We both know there is no advantage for you down here now speak of the reason you have arrived early.. And at the wrong place."

"I have changed the deal Danzou dear _old _friend." The snake sannin hissed out, the three shinobi guards that followed him into the underground tensing as they prepared to defend their master.

Danzou raised an eyebrow and chuckled mirthlessly. "I guess i was foolish to think that a traitor could be of any use at all, speak your mind snake before i decide to do what Sarutobi was too weak to do. You'll find this old man can still spank a young disobedient piss ant."

"You can still have the eyes and the senju DNA implanted but i require another prize now." Orochimaru said bemusedly as he could feel the pulse of the root shinobi quicken. They might not have emotions but their bodies still recognized a predator and felt fear.

Danzou calmly unwound the bandages revealing his sharingan. "Your companions must die now that you've revealed that Orochimaru so i wonder if your really here to negotiate at all."

Feeling his subordinates nervousness Orochimaru simply laughed. "Ku ku ku, I simply want one measly little prize, the young Nara heir that is following slowly in my footsteps, i hear you are watching him quite carefully eh Danzou?" _He would make for quite an excellent subordinate in the future and perhaps a vessel if he keeps progressing so quickly._

"And your trash?" Danzou barked his eye spinning as he pondered if he should try Shisui's power on Orochimaru, with how the man had manipulated his own body it might not even work.

Orochimaru looked back on his three subordinates 2 male specimens and one female. "If you agree to my proposal do what you will with them they are just test subjects anyway." He said nonchalantly revelling in the abject fear emanating from said test subjects behind him."

"So i get what i want in return for giving you Shikamaru Nara?" Danzou spat his eyes narrowed. _It can't be helped, he is the only potential successor i have, between giving myself an edge until my death or raising a successor i will have to trust in the future for once. At least i can take care to get a nice snake skin wallet. _"Denied." He answered flatly his sharingan weaving an illusion making Orochimaru's guards fall onto their master chakra flaring and weapons flying at his vitals.

"Tch, what a shame, i guess i will keep the eyes and just take the boy by force then." Orochimaru mocked as he with ease avoided the attacks of his guards and quickly dispatched them with the Kusanagi, which he hastily regurgitated together with the snake that held it out of his throat as soon as they attacked.

"I will not let you leave traitor." Danzou stated flatly as his Root as one fell onto the traitorous sannin.

He himself hung back Torune covering his back as he waited for an opening.

Orochimaru laughed as he avoided a katana lunge just to slice the agent in two. As two agents simultaneously whirled through identical hand seals Orochimaru lunged across the room literally ripping himself through another Root agent to arrive at the two and killing them before they could finish the jutsu.

As soon as his Root had started on the jutsu Danzou and Torune shunshined to them knowing Orochimaru would attack them before they could let loose an area jutsu in the cramped corridor.

Orochimaru smirked into Danzou's frowning face as the mud clone of the sannin impaled on two swords dissolved.

Danzou frowned as he looked around his sharingan not picking up anything. "Kasigawa?" He barked and a root agent that had stayed outside the battle immediatly arrived before his master. "Can you sense him?"

"No master as soon as you ended his clone his chakra was no longer in my sensor range." Was the monotonous answer. Danzou frowned harsher this was unexpected. Kasigawa had a very large sensor range, it was thanks to his ability that they had caught Orochimaru down here to begin with. How had the Snake sannin escaped. Or had he been talking to a clone the entire time.

"Double the guard on the boy, and send out scouts i want this entire system of tunnels double and triple checked, find the way he got in and out and destroy it." He ordered Torune.

He looked at the three dead bodies of Orochimaru's henchmen obviously they weren't very important if he sacrificed them that easily, but Orochimaru was not one for just theatrics. He usually had a plan to his drama. So what had been his plan this time. He must have known if he knew about Shikamaru and his interest that he wouldn't give him up.

_What the hell are you up to you traitorous filth!_

* * *

"Hum, seems like Danzou really is attached to cute little Nara-kun." Orochimaru said softly sitting on a throne in one of his undiscovered labs just outside of Konoha. "He wasn't even the slightest bit interested in a deal after i mentioned him. I guess you were right to inform me of this boy."

The man kneeling in front of the snake sannin smirked as he pushed up his glasses. "All manner of power players are taking interest, he is progressing quite well and its very hard to see but he hides a dark heart underneath that surface of tree hugging mentality. He will follow your path of shinobi i am sure Orochimaru-Sama."

"Ku ku ku. Afraid he'll take your place Kabuto-Kun?"

Kabuto smirked briefly letting his chakra scalpels take form. "We have different specialities."

Orochimaru put his head on his chin laughing. "I wonder how long until Danzou gets my present. This trip to my old home certainly has made me nostalgic." His grin turns nasty as his laugh reverberate across the lab. "Konoha will burn soon and my revenge will finally come to fruition!"

* * *

The next couple of months turned into a never ending routine of training for Shikamaru. He would wake up early in the morning to training with whatever clan member was available that day. The after a quick shower it was off to the academy where he was training and studying material far ahead of his class although Sasuke still beat him in the Taijutsu spars.

After the academy it was more training with either Naruto, Sasuke or Ino and Chouji the few times his friends hunts him down to spend time with him.

3 days a week he has to beg off from his friend to go spend some training time with Kurenai-Sensei who after teaching him a couple low level are affect Genjutsu starts him on increasingly harder and harder chakra control exercises. His control has risen to a point where he almost never suffer chakra exhaustion symptoms anymore yet Kurenai-Sensei still deems him as simply decent and not yet ready for more advanced Genjutsu.

Of course even with the schedule he already has his Uncle doesn't give him any rest and spends the weekend brutally training him in Taijutsu leaving Shikamaru physically stronger every week but also leaves him at the hospital front desk every Sunday.

Thankfully this particular Sunday found Shikamaru just cloud gazing with Chouji for the first time in months as his uncle had other plans. Normally Shikamaru would find interest in trying to figure out what his uncle was doing but several months of brutal training had him enjoying some peace for once.

"D'ya want some more chips Shika?"

Shikamaru turned his head slowly his friends way with a friendly smile. "Nah, Chouji I'm good just laying here for once."

"Wish pops would allow me to train some more." Chouji said softly opening another bag of chips.

Shikamaru shook his head adamantly. "Trust me Chouji you don't want this."

Chouji looked at his longtime friend with a sad smile. "Shika, i can see you moving so far ahead that me and Ino can never catch up. I want to reach you so that we can do this together."

Shikamaru sat up slowly sighing, he had wondered when one of them would approach him about that. "I'm sorry Chouji i have to do this, you know why its so important to me."

Chouji's understanding smile just made Shikamaru feel worse as he rubbed his head feeling like a jerk. "You'll always be my friend Chouji but i have to take this path, I have to make my parents proud of me!"

Thinking of the family scroll he had stolen from Shika's dad's so that Shikamaru could learn faster Chouji just felt old much older then just 9 years. Slowly he stood up to walk away, maybe his father could still be convinced to give some more training. "They were already proud Shika." He said quietly as he moved off.

Shikamaru watched him leave feeling conflicted, his friends were being left in the dust but could he really stop the path he had already started walking on. He had already killed another Konoha shinobi that had followed him into the Nara sanctuary. None of his classmates could claim anything like that.

"**Feeling depressed little plaything?"**

Shikamaru ripped off the bandages he usually hid the Eye under and glared at the moving tattoo. "I am not in the mood just tell me what you want!" He demanded tired of all manner of shinobi and other beings dragging his emotions this and that way.

"**Shishishi, amusing, very amusing. Maybe we should just remove this power and go back to our abode hmm?"**

Shikamaru scowled as the Eye moved up and down his arm rolling around looking like it was laughing at him. He took a hold of his emotions and replied. "I apologize for my rude comments."

"**We don't care for apologies, we are hungry and you are required to gain us sustenance or we will eat YOU!"**

Shikamaru shuddered as the last word was yelled out reverberating although his body making him feel like an oily residue had covered him making him feel unclean.

"I am still not a genin i can't go kill some bandits for you, you need to give me some more time." Shikamaru asked quietly not having expected his new summons/soul eating monster to demand he pay up this early.

"**Humans without power taste like ash, you will give us chakra wielding human food, we don't care for your excuses. Find food tonight! Shishishi you will taste good if you fail.."**

Shikamaru paled, he hadn't known that regular human scum like bandits and criminals wouldn't satisfy the monster. What was he going to do, he couldn't go outside the village to kill missing nin to fulfil the request he was just an academy student. "Please, give me more time." He begged the shadow Eye tattoo but it remained quiet having settled back down again.

He quietly settled into his thinking pose willing his emotions to quiet down. Whether he liked it or not his life was on the line and he needed to sacrifice someone able to utilize chakra. Since he was not yet a super powerful shinobi it was doubtful the monster wanted a Jounin or chuunin for food. That left either Genin or Academy students.

The only ones he had any familiarity with and knowledge off their skills was his fellow students in the academy. _Its a slippery slope... Logic says most of the students in the class will never make it as shinobi or die early anyway... But its not my right to choose who doesn't get that chance. I...I hope my revenge will be worth the stain on my soul._

Having deduced who his target was going to have to be based on skill level, future usefulness and likelihood of a shinobi career he set off to locate his target. He needed to find out where she lived before dark so he could use the dark hours to murder one of his classmates.

* * *

Bad Shikamaru killing classmates is not cool. Well... the fangirls are okay to kill i guess. So there's another chapter and more playes are getting involved who's going to end up winning the tug-a-war over Shikamaru's future. Who can give him the revenge he seeks. And how far is Shikamaru willing to go in pleasing the darkness that has joined him. Tune in next time (Which will be alot sooner this time! ) For the adventures of a lazy Nara. Ja Ne


	6. Regret

Here's the next instalment of can Shikamaru get screwed anymore?

The answer of course is yes of course he can. Happy reading.

Naruto is owned by kishimoto not me. If he could just lend me some of his characters for a bit i wouldn't mind.

_Like this= thoughts duh_

**Like this= I'm a scary monster or summon or scary bijuu or anything remotely scary. **

* * *

Staking out a house was a lot more troublesome then Shikamaru had ever imagined. First of all to his uttermost annoyance his unfortunate target lived in the middle of the damn village which meant that as much as he would have liked to watch from somewhere close he had to do surveillance from several houses down hidden in the hole one unfortunate civilian had in his roof. _Lucky me but who the hell doesn't bother to repair a giant hole in the roof?_

The darkness of approaching night hid him easily although he did not have much of a view of the house he was watching, he had enough to notice when their lights went off. He already knew from past experiences that she slept on the second floor facing south as that was the way towards her beloved Sasuke-kuns compound. _I wonder if Sasuke will give me a reward for taking one of his fan girls away from him. _Shikamaru almost snorted at that at the same time as a gnawing horrible feeling kept swirling around in his chest.

Secondly the target just had to have a large family that he had never even heard about which meant that any noise might bring down the whole house on him. It was too late to change targets he could feel the itch from his tattoo, he only had tonight. At least no ANBU seemed to be patrolling close to here as there were no military targets or anything important here. As much as Konoha craved civilians the least protected areas of the village was the civilian housing districts.

Closing his eyes and centring himself for a moment Shikamaru lets out a quiet breath allowing all of his emotions to fall inside deep inside once he breaths in. He couldn't afford to fall apart right now. He wanted to be a shinobi. That meant killing. No matter what he couldn't fail. He needed to kill his heart and go ahead with this mission.

With a push of strength he jumped out of the hole and straight down the house landing softly and soundlessly in the alley in between the houses. Feeling for chakra with his sensor ability and finding no strong chakra sources he slowly goes in between the houses to end up in the alley next to his targets house.

With carefully measured use of chakra he slowly moves up the wall clinging to it as to not show too much of an anomaly even in the dead of night against the house wall. You never knew who could be watching, even civilians would notice someone walking straight up a house if they had decent eyes.

Arriving at the window he lets out a small breath of relief, it was slightly ajar so the small tools he had brought with him to soundlessly break in were not needed. It would shave more then 5 minutes of his time and time was always of the essence.

Peeking inside quickly he found his target with her distinctive hair colour undressing in front of her wardrobe. Fighting down a blush he slowly formed hand seals. With her awake and the window open he wouldn't even need to enter the house to kill her. It seemed that despite being forced to do this he was lucky in the circumstances at least.

Forming his shadow he slowly allowed it to creep up behind her. Just as it was about to reach her she abruptly turned around eyes wide. _Shit she saw the shadow in the mirror!_

Before she could scream Shikamaru's shadow lunged and moved up her body covering her mouth and nose. Shikamaru knew that no evidence would be left of him with an asphyxiation. He hadn't counted on the time it would take and the horror of staring into her wide terrified eyes as her struggles ceased and she dropped down lifeless. At least the method of killing her would leave no evidence but that wasn't very comforting at the moment.

Shikamaru stared in horror at Ami the girl he had just murdered. The feeling in his chest was a roar now. _What have i done? This wasn't an ANBU spy she didn't deserve this! How could i rationalize this away? Where was my vaunted intelligence!? I.. I.. I killed her!_

Before he could puke and leave evidence after himself he quickly leaped down and started quickly walking to his planned escape route which would lead him to a close by training ground. Anyone that could perhaps spot him would assume he was coming home from the training ground after late training and pay him no attention.

As much as he wanted to slap on a henge and run like the devil that was sure to get him caught as any shinobi with half a brain would catch him and questions would arise of why he was in a henge in the middle of the night in the civilian district. And after Ami's death was revealed he would be caught for sure.

All the way home he couldn't stop the shaking of his hands or the pain that would emanate from his heart whenever he even saw another person out on the streets. He had taken someone's little girl, he had murdered someone's sister. Was his revenge worth this? Could he face his parents ever again?

He had a feeling that the answer to that was no.

* * *

After a sleepless night where he had wandered his room not knowing what to expect. Was he found out and was he going to be executed? Was he going to be eaten for a too low of a sacrifice? Would he even be able to face his classmates.

He stared forlornly at his haggard appearance his mirror self seemingly sneering back at him, judging him. He was broken out of his disgust by his door suddenly exploding into splinters. Expecting ANBU Shikamaru just closed his eyes in acceptance. He had deserved this. He had gone down the wrong path and disgraced his parents.

So sure was he that ANBU had arrived that the surprise of the fist impacting his jaw and sending him flying into his bedroom wall briefly completely scrambled his brain as he tried to figure out what the hell was going on.

Blearily looking up rubbing his pounding head he found he was staring at his uncle.. His extremely pissed of uncle with chakra latterly visible around his form. _Oh shit! Of all people why him!?_

"So... little nephew.. Do anything fun recently? Hmm? Had a bit of a joyride with your powers?" Keibi snarled out his fists clenching as he stared down at Shikamaru.

Shikamaru backed against the wall shaking as his uncle's killing intent was suffocating. "I had no choice." He suddenly wailed tears falling unbidden as he banged his head to the wall his whole body shaken as he let out what he had been holding in all night.

If anything his tears seemed to make his uncle more furious. "NO CHOICE!" he roared and slammed a hole straight through the wall right next to Shikamaru's head. "You killed a comrade Shikamaru! You couldn't have betrayed the clan and the village worse." He spat at him in disgust. " I taught you that jutsu just a week ago and you use it on your comrade thinking i wouldn't find out!? "

Shikamaru groaned loudly as he put his head in his hands. Why had he used that jutsu. His uncle was right. It would immediately alert his uncle that still had his ANBU connections that a girl had been killed through asphyxiation so soon after he taught his nephew how to achieve exactly that with the kagemane. Had he wanted to be caught? Or had he just rushed so fast that he had not thought of that.

"I thought i had to do it, but after doing it and seeing her fall to the floor i just felt sick i deserve whatever you will do to me." Shikamaru responded despondently to his waiting uncle.

Keibi raised an eyebrow mockingly. "Oh do share dumb ass, why did you _have _to murder someone?"

Shikamaru ripped off the bandages he kept on to hide his tattoo and showed it to his uncle. "When i went into the cave i only received more power if i allowed that being to mark me as its property and allowed it to gain power from my kills. It told me if i didn't feed it i would be eaten!"

Keibi stared at the tattoo for a few moments before sighing and putting a hand to his face. "Shikamaru you royal idiot!" He exclaimed quietly teeth clenched. He could understand why now. Put any 9 year old that was being trained to be a killer in the same spot and they would do the same out of self preservation. It was more dangerous with Shikamaru because he actually had the intelligence to pull it off successfully.

"If you had just come to me... I guess this is partly my fault.. I thought you were smarter then this." He finished in disappointment. His disappointment hurt Shikamaru more then the anger had.

Shikamaru looked up at his uncle trough red eyes."Wh.. What do you mean?" _No no no no no no don't say what i think your going to say! No please, please._

"Shika... You already knew you weren't the first Nara to enter twice. If you were having issues why didn't you consult me?" _This could have all been avoided. Damn it Shikaku if you were here the brat would have confided in you!_

Shikamaru floundered not finding an answer, not knowing right now himself why he had kept it hidden from the person who might hold the answers to his dilemma. He just stared mutely at his uncle who looked tired and defeated. _I..I didn't want to put any of my problems on anyone else, and now that lead to me missing vital information, I've done a terrible mistake._

"Shika. I know about the being you have with you... All Nara's that survive the second entry carry it out with them. They have all documented it. I as clan head have all the information you could have asked for. I would have given it to you if you sought for it." Keibi explained feeling utterly weary. He had failed his nephew not the other way around. This death was on his shoulders like so many others.

Shikamaru stared incredulously at his uncle. "If you know then you know i had no choice!"

Keibi put a hand on his shoulder comfortingly, his anger abated now that he knew why. "Shika its been well documented that it can not really affect you outside the cave it can ask you to kill more but can do nothing against you for your refusal. Only when you've fed it enough to give it the power to tear out of the cave can it act against you. Or if you are inside the cave where it is all powerful."

Shikamaru could feel hysteria creeping in as he grabbed his uncles shirt screaming at him. "IT WAS FOR NOTHING!?"

Keibi grabbed his hands and just held them as he watched his nephew break even further then he already had. He already knew the answer. He just needed to hear it. With a sigh Keibi answered him. "Yes. You were in no danger, she never had to die."

Shikamaru's world fell apart as he cried and raged against his silent uncle that just sat there and held him. Right then Shikamaru couldn't care less about revenge or the Hokage. He had murdered a class mate for no other reason then being too stupid to analyze the monster and its powers. It could have all been avoided if he had not avoided thinking about the cave or its inhabitant ever since he received it. He with his vaunted intelligence had let fear rule him and strike him dumb. And it had cost a girl her life.

* * *

His uncle had pulled some strings and he had been given a week off from the academy and from Kurenai-Sensei to recuperate from an illness officially anyway. Unofficially he needed to retain his sanity before he went out in Konoha proper.

The first few days would stick in Shikamaru's mind forever. No matter what he did he kept getting flashes of Ami's horrified eyes as she was slowly choked to death. He couldn't concentrate on even the simplest chakra control exercise as his focus would be lost and he would fall into depression again.

He acknowledged to himself that he needed to get over this eventually, his uncle had told him he would allow Shikamaru to walk free this one time as he had been fooled by a greater power and that he wasn't the first. For Shikamaru freedom just felt like death, everywhere he went it just reminded him Ami would never see a tree bloom again or a bird chirp in the mornings.

Intellectually he knew he would heal with time and regain functions. Emotionally he knew nothing of the sort. All he could feel was sorrow and guilt for what he had done.

The day he would return to the academy was getting closer and as he sat at the kitchen table trying to force down some breakfast he wondered if he could even handle seeing his classmates.

As with many other things that decision was taken out of his hands as Naruto appeared outside the kitchen window waving wildly and carrying a backpack. With a sigh Shikamaru went to open the door not quite ready to face anyone but knowing that if he didn't Naruto would just break in somehow anyway, too troublesome.

He stared owlishly at Uchiha Sasuke's annoyed face as soon as the door opened. _Well that is a surprise.._

"Why don't you open when i knock, i have been knocking for the past few minutes." The annoyed Uchiha snarled.

Shikamaru scratched his nose sheepishly. "Ah, i probably was busy thinking about some things and didn't notice.. sorry."

Suddenly Naruto bounced out right in front of Sasuke startling the scowling Uchiha. "Yeah! I was knocking too Dattebayo!"

Shikamaru looked at Sasuke in quiet amusement. Eyeing Naruto and then turning back to the Uchiha with a raised eyebrow he almost snickered as the Uchiha's scowl got worse.

Stepping back a few steps as if Naruto had something contagious Sasuke turned his scowling visage towards Shikamaru. "I've waited long enough for you to come train, your coming with me now."

Before Shikamaru could even answer such a rude request Naruto growled and got straight into the Uchiha's face. "Hey Teme! I'm training with Shika! He's my friend, Dattebayo!"

With a sneer Sasuke pushed Naruto back looking down with him with a superior glint in his eyes. "Dobe, I'm the one that's actually skilled. There's no point in training with garbage." He rolled his eyes not quite willing to call Shikamaru a friend as Naruto had out loud. "Who says Dattebayo after every sentence anyway dobe? Can you get any more ridiculous?"

"Say that again Teme!" Growled Naruto as he bounced up and shook his fist at Sasuke who was now smirking.

"Garbage." He points at Naruto. "You." Pointing at himself. "Skilled. Me." He smirks as he leans forward slightly anticipating the reaction he is trying to push for. "Did i dumb it down enough for you to understand dobe?"

Naruto scowled as he shook his fist right under Sasuke's nose. "Temeee! Your gonna get your duck-butt hair head punched in!"

Sasuke pushes forward so he is forehead to forehead to Naruto snarling with his teeth clenched. "Don't insult my hair dobe!"

Naruto smirked back at him. "Stop spending 5 hours in the bathroom girly girl." He sniped back.

Shikamaru shook his head in bewilderment. It was like they had forgotten he was even there. With a sigh of troublesome he went back inside. It would be another 15 minutes before Sasuke and Naruto noticed he was gone and came to drag him out to the nearest training ground.

* * *

"Why is he coming with us?" Sasuke argued petulantly. Argued, because Uchiha's do not whine.

Shikamaru sighed for the tenth time in ten minutes. "Because."

Naruto who was walking on the other side of Shikamaru because the Nara was not a fool piped in. "Yeah princess! Because!" And then stuck his tongue out at the Uchiha.

Restraining both of them in the Kagemane again Shikamaru tried to stave away the incoming headache after dealing with two of the most screwed up people he had ever met arguing the entire way to the training ground. Why had he ever asked Sasuke to include Naruto in their training anyway. It looked good on paper. Not so good in action. Especially not as he noticed that the kagemane might have stopped them from attacking each other but their mouth's were still going. "Are we done?" he asked calmly with a tick starting to develop.

"I hate that jutsu." Sasuke murmured as he was released moving his neck just to make sure he was free again.

"It was your fault Teme!" Naruto argued his whole posture argumentative.

Before they could start again Shikamaru slapped them both to the back of their heads, ignoring the murderous glares he received he pointed ahead. "We are at the training grounds so shut up and train and for kami's sake leave me alone!"

Naruto and Sasuke shared a look of mutual loathing but both nodded their heads. They didn't know what was wrong with Shikamaru but both had gone looking for the Nara to cheer him up at the same time so they would have to live with it for now.

After the silence stretched for a bit as Sasuke and Naruto were still eyeing each other mutinously Shikamaru plopped down with a huff. It was somewhat refreshing to be out and about again but Kami they were annoying. Glaring at them he spoke up. "Well, what are we doing?"

Sasuke broke away from the staring first looking down at his sparring partner/friend. "You, me, taijutsu. The dobe can go pick flowers or something and see how professionals do it."

Shikamaru groaned and gave the Uchiha a death glare. "Don't start again we're all training or I'm going home and having a nap. Stop being troublesome." _Kami if this is how the Uchiha all were no wonder Itachi snapped and killed them all._

Naruto brightened up after Shikamaru's somewhat defence of him and started bouncing again. "Ne, ne. Guess what i have for training?"

"What? You brought your toy kunai?" Sasuke mocked while smirking.

"Sasuke damn it." Shikamaru groaned tiredly. _Damn all Uchiha's to hell!_

Naruto for once ignored the barb and brought out a scroll from the pack he had been carrying. "I snuck into the shinobi jutsu library and got this." He held it out proudly not seeing Sasuke's suddenly calculating gaze or Shikamaru's gobsmacked one.

"Naruto!" Shikamaru said cursing the blonde. "That's illegal, how the hell did you get in and out of there its guarded by ANBU for kami's sake." _ I can't believe I'm arguing over illegalities right now with what I've done. However everyone hates Naruto for some reason so i doubt they would have gone easy on him if he had been caught._

Naruto blushed heavily and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "It was easy getting past the ANBU they weren't paying much attention and i just grabbed the first scroll i saw and got out." He defended holding the scroll up.

Sasuke eyed the scroll hungrily as he thought over the fact that the class dobe had broken into an A-class facility with restricted access to anyone below chuunin. _Maybe Shikamaru has a point after all, if the dobe can bring stuff like this he could be useful._

"Who gave you the idea of doing something so stupid?" Shikamaru questioned while keeping half an eye on Sasuke who was giving off a slightly creepy vibe.

Naruto looked at him confusedly dropping the scroll in Shikamaru's lap as he waved his hands in the air. "Hey, you did remember!?"

"What? When would i have told you to break into a facility guarded by ANBU?" Shikamaru asked doubtfully. He was sure he would have remembered something like that.

Naruto blushed again and looked the other way. "You said to practice being sneaky on targets i believed i could sneak through."

Shikamaru palmed his face. "I meant like when your doing your pranks, not break into the jutsu library!" _I feel like I'm an old man already dealing with toddlers!_

Sasuke stepped forward and picked up the scroll from Shikamaru's lap. "I don't care why and how i just want to know whats in here." He stated bluntly.

"Hey that's for Shika, you Teme!" Naruto yelled angrily his blue eyes practically shining in righteous anger.

With a huff Shikamaru stood up and patted Naruto on the back. "We're all training together right, so let's just see what it is and get started. No point in more fighting. Just... Don't go into any ANBU guarded places Naruto okay?" _I already sacrificed enough for my revenge I'm not going to send you to prison for a jutsu scroll or two, I'll find my own way i promise._

Sasuke smirked in victory as he opened the scroll his eyes eagerly scanning it. The other two waited patiently in one case and impatiently in another to find out what was in the scroll.

One tick, two ticks. Shikamaru and Naruto counted fascinated with the Uchiha's eye's as they seemed to twitch every few seconds. Sasuke turned Naruto's way his face devoid of any emotion. "You...You..." He hissed out before dropping the scroll and walking off a few steps to hit a tree.

Looking at each other in confusion Shikamaru and Naruto both picked up the scroll and read it. Naruto blushing in shame. Shikamaru couldn't help but fall to the ground laughing. Seeing Sasuke turn towards Naruto and rage about his stupidity did nothing but make him laugh harder.

Kami, it felt good to have something to laugh about. Maybe he would be able to move forward, make a better Konoha and pay back some of his debt in killing Ami.

Dropping the scroll to the ground Shikamaru grinned as he got up and joined the now freshly started battle between an enraged Uchiha and a beet red Uzumaki.

In the ensuing tussle the scroll lay forgotten. Any passerby would be confused to find a scroll on chakra techniques used to enlarge your penis laying in the dust by an often used training ground. Unknown to any of the three boys ANBU does keep a close enough watch on the facility and they do have a sense of humour when it is just a harmless prankster stopping by.

* * *

In the Nara compound in one of its secret underground chambers a meeting was taking place at the same time as the three young boys sparred.

"You have a very pleasant underground here Keibi-dono." Danzou said dryly as he slowly sipped his tea brewed by Fuu as he couldn't trust Keibi not to slip something in. Torune was watching the door together with a Nara Jounin Kunoichi.

"I live to serve." Keibi deadpanned sitting as far away from Danzou as he could while still sitting at the table. He didn't trust the old man at all. His clan's current position however made it necessary to at least hear him out on whatever proposal he was here for.

Danzou eyed the Clan head speculatively as he put his tea down with a clink. "Do you know why i asked for this meeting Keibi-dono?"

Keibi clacked his teeth together annoyed with the honorifics. "Probably to threaten my clan with retribution if we don't return immediately."

Danzou chuckled softly as a smirk grew on his face. "That's Hiruzen's job not mine, i prefer to negotiate mutually beneficial deals."

Keibi scoffed in disbelief. "I'm sure the Prajna group would agree with your mutually beneficial deals." _Well they would if you hadn't wiped them all out!_

Danzou raised an eyebrow in surprise. "I would have thought an ANBU like yourself would understand that mutually beneficial deals are for members of Konoha and its clans." He tilted his head slightly his voice growing darker as his lone eye pierced Keibi's. "Konoha's enemies only get the one deal.. Obey or die."

Keibi tensed and slowly stood up keeping his eyes on the two Root agents in the room. "Remind me? Which are we nowadays? Enemies or part of Konoha?" He asked warily. He was well aware that Danzou was not someone you battled easily. Especially in Konoha itself.

Danzou laughed slowly, not at all bothered by the Nara's tenseness. "You amuse me Nara, you would think i would arrive myself to kill you? My root are quite capable of that themselves!"

"Then what do you want!?" Keibi intoned slowly as he stared at the former ANBU commander.

"Just to use the extensive Nara underground system as a new base for my root." Danzou said carelessly taking another sip of tea after. "Hmm, this really is exquisite tea."

Keibi scoffed and keeping his eyes on Danzou started walking around the table towards the door. "I'm leaving." He stated blankly not even bothering to give an answer to such a ridiculous request. No way was he letting Danzou into the Nara compound.

Danzou sighed and stood up ignoring the slight scuffle as Fuu and Torune together knocked the Nara kunoichi unconscious. "A pity it will have to come to this then."

Keibi let his chakra flow freely as he faced Danzou his rage rising for every second the old fossil stood there and dared to attack his clan members on his grounds. "You will regret that!" He promised darkly.

"I don't think so." Danzou intoned sharply as the bandages unwound themselves from his head his stolen sharingan spinning wildly shocking Keibi into silence. "Kotoamatsukami ( Distinguished Heavenly Gods. )

After a few seconds Keibi absently nodded his head and left the chamber not even paying any attention to Danzou or his agents.

Danzou closed his eye as Fuu started on wrapping it up again. "It seems that even without Orochimaru's help the Senju DNA at least is working." He commented stoically. Without senju DNA he would not be able to use Kotoamatsukami more then once a decade. As it was now he could influence someone once a day with it.

He had used Shisui's eye to rewrite the entire conversation and the decision following it. Root would from now on make their base in the Nara tunnels and Keibi himself would make sure they were sealed and that no Nara would bother them down here or even know about their existence.

"The girl?" Torune asked holding his Tanto to her neck.

Danzou stared down at the kunoichi briefly, it would do no good to lose another jounin needlessly. "Fuu change her memories so she remembers nothing of what happened down here or even being asked to attend in the first place." He ordered as he started walking out of the chamber Torune immediately falling in with him and Fuu moving towards the fallen Kunoichi.

"Go notify everyone to move base immediately, leave the dead where they lay we do not want to spread Orochimaru's filth to the new base." He ordered of Torune who immediately set off to do what he had been told.

Danzou scowled as he walked down the dark corridors. He had underestimated Orochimaru. The snake had a reason for bringing the three subordinates he had brought with him down into his underground. Soon after their death they had expelled a string of seals that latched on to whatever it touched and sucked all the life out of it leaving just a husk, spreading to the walls and moving forwards threatening the entire base.

He had lost 3 agents before they had managed to seal off the corridor and retreat. However the damnable seals were able to spread and infect half the underground. His seal master had finally been able to make sure the seal progressed no further and had no chance of impacting Konoha. However that still left almost fifty percent of his base unusable as even touching the walls would waken the seals and kill you.

There was a bright light at the end of the tunnel though, even though they have to move to this inferior base it would leave him close to the Nara heir and not even Sarutobi would be able to keep close enough an eye on the Nara compound to catch him as he swayed the child to his side.

Danzou started smirking as he slowly explored the tunnels already feeling the incoming chakra signatures of his servants. Orochimaru had thrown a wrench in the system, but he was nothing if not resourceful and the snake would regret ever pushing Shimura Danzou.

* * *

Elsewhere in a dingy bar in the middle of earth country Jiraiya of the sannin was staring suspiciously at the scroll one of Danzou's emotionless drones had dropped off which had thoroughly destroyed his fun time.

After testing it in several ways to ensure it wasn't going to explode on him he opened it and scanned through it. _Danzou...What the hell are you up to?_

The scroll carried extensive information on several of Orochimaru's hidden bases and mentioned an attack Orochimaru had performed on Danzou himself just a few days prior. _ If this happened just days ago how did his puppets find me and deliver this already... And why does he have information on Orochimaru's hidey holes that he only now gives me... __Is he trying to bait me? This doesn't even make sense why is he contacting me?_

He was interrupted from his musings as a familiar chakra signature sat down next to him. He looked like a simple peasant but Jiraiya could pick up Minato's brats signature from anywhere. He turned towards him scowling. "What is it Kakashi?"

"Jiraiya-Sama, delivery from the Hokage." Came the stoic reply.

Jiraiya frowned again, it was getting to be a habit now with all the bad news he kept getting. "Do i even want to know?"

"I'm just here to deliver the scroll Jiraiya-Sama." Was the neutral answer.

Jiraiya grabbed the offered scroll and waved Kakashi off with a scowl. ANBU had ruined the brat he was no fun at all anymore. He easily broke the security seal and scanned the scroll.

"Kami damn all fucking monkeys to hell!" He raged as he slammed his fist with the now destroyed scroll down on the counter and completely through it.

No one made a move as Jiraiya angrily stalked out of the bar chakra flying off him in his rage.

Three countries over another bar suffered the same kind of fate as a drunken woman with the biggest set in the elemental countries suffered the same news from her sensei.

* * *

A few weeks after having been dragged out of his home by Naruto and Sasuke found Shikamaru sitting in his room going through his father's personal jutsu scroll which he had convinced Chouji to steal for him. He knew his uncle would not approve of him learning the kind of jutsu this held. There was a reason his father had made Jounin commander besides his intelligence. That was his jutsu repertoire which was frightfully sadistic and cruel in nature. Most enemies wanted nothing to do with a fight against Shikaku Nara during the last war because of these jutsus.

Knowing that most of them were still a bit dangerous to try within the same mile as his uncle he was looking for a more low key jutsu. Because the damn persistent man would find out about the higher level ones and all kinds of troublesome things would happen.

"Huh.. summons.. Just putting a tiny bit of chakra into it shouldn't alert my uncle." Shikamaru muttered to himself as he looked at the seals for the Kuchiyose no jutsu (Summoning jutsu).

The question was whether he would be summoning a being of darkness or his father's personal summons whose contract he had signed as soon as he opened the scroll.

Feeling a bit dare he say it Narutoish he bit his thumb and did the seals for the summoning jutsu slamming his hands down on the floor. _ Please be the Deer summons.. c'mon give me one break for once._

He was too be disappointed as when the smoke cleared a raven with red eyes and a body shimmering despite being completely dark sat there. Shadows fluttered around it as it suddenly took flight and perched on his dresser eyeing him.

Shikamaru let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding in and eyed the creature warily. At least he hadn't summoned the boss... He didn't even want to think about that.

"**Its rude to stare."** The raven said snootily disregarding the fact its own eyes had not been off Shikamaru since it was summoned.

Shikamaru jerked a little surprised to hear the raven talk. He regained his composure and bowed slightly. "I apologize for my rudeness i was just surprised." _Better stay respectful until i find out how these summons act. I'm already surprised its not a simple bloodthirsty unintelligent beast. That's what i had expected from the contract._

The raven sniffed disdainfully. "**As you are our new summoner i guess i have to accept that inadequate apology. My name is ****Gikunshi and i am the master of ceremonies ****and lorekeeper**** of the shadow tribe."**

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow at that. Maybe he had in fact completely misjudged the contract. "My name's Shikamaru." He introduced himself politely.

Gikunshi just rolled his eyes. **"We already know your name you dunce, you are our summoner. Ill-breed though aren't you, and lacking in manners. I certainly see why that monster chose you."**

Shikamaru sat up bolt straight as his mind processed what he just heard. "Doesn't It have a name if Its your boss? And shouldn't you follow It?" He questioned with bated breath.

Gikunshi cawed with laughter wings flapping wildly. **"That savage is only our boss because of power not loyalty, It only controls us in the way that only It can choose who can summon us. As for It's name not even we know. If we did we would have overthrown ****I****t centuries ago."**

Shikamaru felt relief flood through him. His summons apparently would not follow that monsters directions so it was one less thing to worry about. One thing struck him as odd though and he quickly voiced the question. "Why would Its name matter in Its defeat?"

Gikunshi tsked with disdain. "**Why oh why did we get the dunce summoner." **He suddenly did a little dance on top of the dresser bowing several times. "**Dear Kami-Sama why do you hate the magnificent Gikunshi so much." **Another few dance steps and then a pose struck with his beak high in the air. **"My life is over having to serve someone so inept and probably lacking in hygiene too!"**

Shikamaru scowled his annoyance growing with every dance step. "Will you just tell me you stupid bird." He growled.

Gikunshi with tears running down his eyes suddenly straightened and stared at him. **"Any dunce knows that for a being of that power their true name gives you power over them." **

"So if i found out Its name i could defeat it?" Shikamaru asked eagerly, quite eager not to have to deal with the monster he had brokered a deal with.

"**Sure, we have been looking for four centuries but I'm sure you'll stumble over Its name tomorrow stupid boy!" ** Gikunshi cawed sarcastically.

"I don't care if its impossible, i won't let It roam the world free and i won't give it any more power over me. I WILL find that name." Shikamaru declared passionately.

Gikunshi eyes him quietly before huffing. "**Perhaps you have some use as a summoner.."**

"Will you and your tribe help me in defeating It?" Shikamaru asked curiously as it seemed the snobbish bird had calmed down a bit.

"**If we think you can win then maybe, otherwise you can march to your death on your own meat bag." **Gikunshi replied nonchalantly earning a scowling Shikamaru.

"Can you tell me anything about It that can help me?"

"**It can not affect you in anyway outside Its home until It has grown powerful enough."**

"It's talked to me though and threatened me."

"**All empty threats, It can only affect you in the home dimension. Here It is powerless unless you get it strong enough to break free." **Gikunshi replied beak angrily clicking.

Shikamaru sat in his thinking pose trying to make sense of his jumbled thoughts. "Why has It not broken free already? All Nara go there at least once It could simply give them all power and then break free."

Gikunshi shook his head rapidly. **"Your not thinking you dunce. If It gave away that much of Its power It would be vulnerable and weakened. It has done it slowly over centuries so that It could never be threatened."**

"So it gives one Nara per generation extra power because its not enough to weaken It and that one stronger Nara will empower It a lot by using Its power?" Shikamaru asked feeling he understands finally.

"**That is correct."**

"So say that It contacted me through the summoning tattoo and demanded sacrifices?"

"**Don't be a fool, how would It be able to affect you all the way from Its home. If It could do that you would already hear reports of an abomination of darkness tearing up the countryside. For a Nara you are rushing too fast to understand anything. Very disappointing." **

Shikamaru clenched his fists angrily. His uncle had been right. He had fallen immediately for the threat without stopping to really think it through once. And someone else had paid the price for that. He was focusing so much on revenge lately that he was neglecting his best skill. His mind. Well time to go Nara on everyone. He looked Gikunshi in the eyes his own full of determination. "Give me all the information you have on It and on the shadow tribe." He ordered with steel in his voice.

Gikunshi ruffled his feathers but bowed his head briefly and started explaining. Both would be there all night the darkness outside not matched by the darkness of the master of shadows and his summons.

* * *

A few days after having summoned Gikunshi Shikamaru was back to work again. Ami not forgotten but put aside for the moment as he needed to focus on getting stronger and figuring out a way to search for legends or history about a shadow monster so that he might find Its name.

Getting back to business also meant back to Kurenai-Sensei and he had spent the last half hour going through different chakra control exercises to show her he hadn't been slacking off. For such a demure and soft spoken Kunoichi she could be downright evil at times.

Like right now... Where he was water walking. With a log on his shoulder. Leaf's attached to his body by chakra. And with Kurenai-Sensei standing on the log. Apparently missing a week no matter the reason meant remedial training. He just knew having a woman sensei would be troublesome. And now he was proven right.

"Alright Shikamaru-kun, you seem to be adequate at these exercises so you should be able to learn another genjutsu." Kurenai finally agreed with a small smile as she gracefully leapt of the log completely unbalancing Shikamaru who fell into the water with a yelp. Soon followed by an oof as the log followed him down and landed on him.

"Was all that really necessary?" Shikamaru grumbled as he pulled himself back to the water's surface soaking wet. _Tch i hate being wet its so troublesome moving around like this._

"Are you questioning your Sensei Shikamaru-kun?" Kurenai asked with a saccharine smile. Shikamaru knew better and immediately stood up fully and shook his head rapidly no.

Kurenai smiled sweetly. "Good answer. Now let's get to some actual practising. I already gave you the scroll before your..Hiatus.. So you should know the hand seals already. And I'm sure you followed your sensei's order of no practising it on your own." The last sentence was followed by a stern gaze.

Thankfully Shikamaru had been way too occupied to even think about breaking his sensei's order and practice it without help.

"Now this is a C-rank genjutsu and normally no academy student and even most genins aren't taught these ranks of jutsu, but you are a special case with the backing of your clan and the Hokage."

Shikamaru frowned slightly at that reminder but nodded at Kurenai's accurate rendition of his situation. "That said i am proud over the hard work you've shown so far so if you manage this C-rank i will give you the scroll for another one." Kurenai winked at him. "Sensei's prerogative."

Pleased that her student is paying rapt attention Kurenai slowly make the hand seals for the genjutsu before allowing it to slowly form allowing her student to feel it take affect as he was quite skilled at chakra detection. "Did you get that Shikamaru-kun?"

Shikamaru nodded determinedly as he slowly copied his sensei. His first attempt used too little chakra and the illusion just fizzled out immediately. He gritted his teeth though determined to prove that Kurenai's faith in his genjutsu was not misplaced. With a growled. "Magen: Kokoni Arazu no jutsu. ( Demonic Illusion: False Surroundings Technique. } His illusion took hold and he smirked in success.

Kurenai nodded thoughtfully and walked around the tree he had put the illusion over to make it seem like it was on fire. "Nice job Shikamaru it's covered on all sides and the illusion is stable. Just practice on the speed of your hand seals and make sure to practice layering it. Most shinobi don't even think to dispel twice."

"How do i do that sensei?" Shikamaru asked as his sensei easily dispelled his genjutsu.

"When you put an illusion over an object, your surroundings or over a person you allow your chakra to imitate the genjutsu your using and piggyback with it. It takes a lot of training to allow your chakra to simply conform to your wishes in a genjutsu without hand seals but it can be done a little bit easier with genjutsu because of the piggyback effect." Kurenai explained eagerly.

She had always wanted to teach genjutsu and she was getting a smite ahead of herself in her eagerness. She couldn't help it though having a student that listened so attentively made it hard not to teach even harder. "In essence you get used to how you do this genjutsu and then just form the chakra for it again while letting the first one go, as soon as you finish the last hand seal you let your secondary genjutsu follow with it." She smiled softly. "Don't expect that to happen until a few years from now though it takes years of training to get down perfectly. I have faith in you though Shikamaru-kun."

Shikamaru sheepishly rubbed his head. "Thank you sensei."

Kurenai put a hand on his head and gently messed his hair up while laughing softly. "Your a good kid, i get why Keibi is going so frantic about everything you do."

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow in surprise. "You know my U-"

He was interrupted by a fast moving blur that suddenly tackled him to the ground. He hit the dirt hard and groaned in pain as he tried to get back up to deal with whatever threat had arrived. He couldn't though because someone was on top of him. He opened his eyes to two large breasts pressed against his face as a Kunoichi in mesh and a trench coat snuggled up to him. "What the hell?" was his eloquent reply as he blushed up a storm.

The Kunoichi sat up on top of his midriff and glared down at him. "What the hell! You aren't Nai-chan!" She growled out bringing out a kunai and licking the edge looking very demented. "Where did you put Nai-chan you fiend! I will carve her out of your puny body!"

Shikamaru's eyes widened in fear as the obviously escaped insane asylum patient raised her kunai. He couldn't even make heads or tails over what just happened.

"Anko leave him alone." Kurenai said with a sigh as she pulled the kunoichi off Shikamaru.

Shikamaru quickly scrambled away and took up a defensive position eyeing the newcomer warily. "Kurenai-Sensei you know this lunatic?"

Kurenai rolled her eyes as Anko clutched onto her crying fake tears about mean puny bullies calling her names. "Yes, Shikamaru this is Anko, Anko this is my student Shikamaru."

Anko suddenly detached from Kurenai and leered up at her friend. "Starting your boy toys a bit young nowadays Nai-chan?" She teased impishly laughingly skipping away as Kurenai tried to give her a slap to the head.

Anko turned towards Shikamaru. "Since you didn't know i won't feed you to my snakes today little boy. For future reference I am the Awesomest Sexytastic lethal bombshell kunoichi known as Anko-Sama!" She finished her introduction with a pose that would probably get her arrested if she did in front of civilians.

Shikamaru stared at her his eyebrows twitching, he turned towards Kurenai. "Kurenai-Sensei you know this lunatic?"

Kurenai had to stifle a giggle as she held back Anko who was swearing holy vengeance on the smart ass boy toy. "Yes Shikamaru-kun i do, although i do not know why she interrupted our training."

Anko scoffed petulantly as she stopped struggling. "Is training codeword for sex nowadays, naughty, naughty Kurenai-chan."

"Don't make me put you in a genjutsu, you know you can't break out of my best one's." Kurenai threatened warningly. "He is my student and a good boy stop teasing him.

Anko rolled her eyes dismissively. "I was teasing you Nai-chan not little kiddo. Although how i missed you with my patented tackle hug and hit him... Did you Kawamiri (Body Switch) Nai-chan?"

Kurenai blushed slightly and looked away. Shikamaru developed another tick. Why were all his Sensei's either crazy, women or crazy women. Wasn't a sensei supposed to protect a student not body switch with him so that she could get out of the fire.

Anko pouted. "Why would you want to avoid this?" She gestured to herself. "Everyone wants to press their bodies against my hot sexy kami given perfect body!"

Shikamaru scoffed. "Are you absolutely, absolutely sure she isn't a lunatic Kurenai-Sensei?"

Kurenai laughed. "I didn't say she wasn't a lunatic i just said she was my friend." She teased.

Anko stomped her foot on the ground. "Come on! No ganging up on me." She whined. She threw a calculating look at Shikamaru. "Hmm not too bad looking for a kid, 5 years from now feel free to gang up on me." She finished lecherously.

"Kurenai-Sensei!" Shikamaru weakly protested as he backed up slightly not quite sure if kids like him were allowed in Anko's near vicinity.

Kurenai rolled her eyes and with a sigh slapped Anko over the head. "Enough Anko-chan, you don't have to act out in front of Shikamaru-kun he is just a kid."

Anko harrumphed and crossed her arms defiantly. "Not acting out. Just booooooored. Entertain me Nai-chan." She whined, her eyes dancing with mirth.

"You could always help me train my student." Kurenai suggested. Both herself and Anko turned towards Shikamaru to find that the young Nara was already sprinting out of the training ground.

"Why do everyone always do that?" Anko complained as she plopped to the ground a hand to her chin.

_Why indeed?_ Kurenai thought wryly as she watched her student run faster then she had ever seen him run before. _Good luck Shikamaru-kun but Anko doesn't let anyone get away, i should know she practically bullied me into being her best friend._

* * *

Shikamaru didn't feel safe to stop running until he had entered Konoha's market district. Surely that crazy woman wouldn't be allowed to run amok here. The ANBU would stop her. He was safe for now.

He groaned as he realized he had been so quick to get away that he hadn't even gotten the second C-rank Kurenai-sensei had promised him. Weighing staying there against the C-rank though maybe he still chose the right thing. That woman was way too troublesome for him to have to be taught by her. He shuddered. That would be scary.

As he walked through the market district his interest piqued as he heard his clan mentioned and he quietly followed the well dressed man in his forties that was talking to his pink haired wife. With a glance around so no one would notice he quickly applied a henge and an illusion on top of that which would make him practically invisible to the civilians he was following.

He took a few minutes to get close as he didn't want to make it too obvious in case someone was watching him, he couldn't feel any chakra sources nearby but he had been fooled before.

The pink haired woman was quite loud so as soon as he got within 10 feet he could hear the conversation very clearly.

"I can't believe those ungrateful Nara's won't listen to you honey." The pink haired woman complained to the well dressed man with short grey hair and a stocky build.

The man put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it gently. "Misa don't worry those idiots are just upset because i led the coalition to block that Shikaku and his woman from being honoured for their disgraceful deaths." The man said patronizingly to his wife.

Shikamaru's eyes widened at that. This man was responsible for that damn petition? Why had his uncle not told him about that. He was sure that pink haired woman was Haruno Sakura's mother as pink hair was way too uncommon for that to be a coincidence. That would make her Haruno Misa and the man she was talking to.. Sakura's father had destroyed his parent's reputations and sullied their honour, he was feeling rage building again but held himself back, he wasn't going to do another Ami.

Misa sniffed. "They deserved what they got. Such an ungrateful clan after all Konoha has done for them."

The man laughed as he hugged Misa close to him. "Don't worry Misa my dear. If they continue to persist in their actions I'll petition the Hokage to do something about them. The civilian council has his ear as you know, and i lead the council" He finished with a self satisfied smirk.

_You selfish pig! _Shikamaru raged as he struggled to walk away from the couple before he would do something he would regret.

He quickly walked out of the district and dropped the henge and the illusion. He now had another thing to add to the list. He couldn't trust himself to let his power loose and kill the man, he had learnt his lesson once already. However he would whenever he had a free moment, work towards bringing the man down and ruining the pompous councillor. He would get his revenge whether bloodied or bloodless. No one that sought to crush the Nara would walk away Scot-free.

_That's a promise i will keep no matter if it kills me! _Shikamaru vowed as he made his way home.

* * *

So a bit of a longer chapter showing off some more training and some more intrigue. Will it ever stop? No that would make the story less interesting lol.

Next chapter we get to see what pissed off two sannin so monumentally and a little bit more Sarutobi Danzou action. And no I'm not talking old people sex I'm talking intrigue here damn it.

And just to be clear neither Kurenai nor Anko are going to be screwing Shikamaru, Anko just likes to tease and Kurenai is a bit of a tease as well when she's feeling mischievous.

Until next time Ja Ne


	7. Legends are fleeting

Welcome to the next chapter of Do you fear the darkness? I hope you have enjoyed the speedier updating as we now move back to more normal pace of 1-2 chapters a month lol.

_Like this: I'm thinking damn it get out of my head!_

**Like this: I am very scary monster. Or simply scary summon.**

A: N I do not own Naruto at all, that's all Kishimoto. I know we all want to but he thought of it first.

* * *

"Hokage-Sama are you ready for the elders?" The Hokage's secretary queried as she poked her head into the office soon after the old hokage had started his work for the morning.

Sarutobi smiled genially towards his longtime secretary. "Of course Mai-chan and the usual procedures please."

"Yes Hokage-Sama." Came the clipped reply. The usual procedures when Sarutobi met with the elders meant the largest and strongest privacy seals in existence would be activated and that no one was allowed near the Hokage's office unless they came with a war declaration.

The aged Hokage puttered around his desk moving a few of his files here and there as he waited for his old teammates and his rival to seat themselves comfortably.

When they were all seated and had their tea poured he nodded towards Homura and Koharu to let them begin. That usually got all the petty things out of the way before he had to deal with whatever Danzou had up his sleeve.

Homura cleared his throat. "As we all know the Nara clan is refusing trade with the village and in the last six months the council has been mumbling a lot about doing something about that. Especially councillor Haruno."

Danzou snorted and tapped his cane lightly against the ground. "Civilian council, i still think you are all fools for giving them any say at all. It lost us the Nara clan already, although Hiruzen helped a lot on that."

Sarutobi put his hands in front of his face as he stared seriously at the Root commander. "No one could know what consequences such a minor thing would lead to, after the fact it would have meant a loss of face for the Hokage position to go back on it."

Homura shook his head while giving Danzou an unimpressed look. "Blaming Hiruzen for this is ridiculous Danzou, in the history of Konoha only one other clan has ever shown any rebelliousness."

Danzou closed his eye and leaned back slightly mumbling. "Ah, and that went so well for Konoha that time as well."

Homura glared at the old war-hawk. "Don't pretend you had no hand in that Danzou, you were the one calling for the Uchiha's extermination while Hiruzen was trying to negotiate with them!"

"The Uchiha were traitors... The Nara are simply disillusioned with the poor management." Danzou mumbled softly staring Homura down.

Sarutobi watched quietly as Homura and Danzou argued. It was his usual modus operandi to allow Homura to fight his battles until he needed to step in and finish the discussion. It made him appear more of a leader then an equal of sorts. No matter what all four of them could have held the seat of Hokage at some point. It was pure idealism on his part that had once secured it for him. Back when he hadn't known better how the shinobi world works.

Koharu who had likewise been avoiding getting involved and just observed coughed to get Homura's attention as he was getting red in the face arguing over Hiruzen's qualities as Hokage. "Can we move on?" She sent a piercing look towards Danzou annoyed with how he purposely riled Homura up.

Homura huffed and sat back straightening his robes and regaining his equilibrium. "Well, any thoughts on the council's concern about the trade issues?"

Koharu cut in before anyone could start the same argument again. "Just let them argue another six months, Danzou is correct at least in the fact that they are not that useful for us to even pay them this kind of attention."

Sarutobi frowned as Homura argued for a few more minutes with Koharu before giving in and dropping the civilian issue. It was odd how Koharu from being one of a trinity consisting of himself Homura and herself, in the last few years had gone over to Danzou's view of things. He had her checked for genjutsu multiple times but it seemed she had simply chosen to abandon decades of teamwork. It was a pity because it upset the order of things when both he and Danzou had their own puppets to argue for them. It made any decision making progress that much longer and tedious.

"Shouldn't we be concentrating on more important issues?" Koharu challenged Hiruzen with an irritated look.

Sarutobi made a face of mild surprise. "Which issue would that be Koharu?"

She rolled her eyes at him having known him too long to fall for all his acting. "The fact that the Nara clan are still in essence suspect and how to rein them back in without folding over on the decree."

"Not to mention that the Yamanaka and Akimichi are getting increasingly loud." Muttered Homura with a bitter tone of voice. The old man was disgusted with the amount of disloyalty out of Konoha lately. Like the sannin's failures weren't enough now the clans had to bicker too.

"And what do you expect me to do about that?" Sarutobi challenged softly a hard glint to his eyes. "Maybe i should just kill them all hmm? That should surely please all the other clans correct?"

Danzou rolled his eyes as once again his rival fell to his theatrics. "Enough Hiruzen, just repel that disgusting decree and everyone wins." _Well except you old man but that's fine with me. _

Sarutobi lent back crossing his arms. "I will not pander to a clans whims, it will lead to chaos within the clan structure of Konoha." He stated firmly getting a nod from Homura as well.

Koharu leant forward her eyes hard. "Then don't Hiruzen but negotiate something with them. Every month that this continues Konoha looks weaker and weaker to the outside world."

Sarutobi slammed his hand on the desk the sound emitted quieting the other elders for a moment. Sarutobi stared at them all with hard eyes all the acting evaporated. "I am doing something as we speak, as the Hokage however it is not necessary for me to share every thing i do for this village. Drop the subject!" _After all as soon as i have the Nara heir solely in my debt he has no choice but to rejoin the clan to Konoha. And Keibi will have no choice but to listen as Shikamaru grows stronger and proves that he is the next Nara clan head._

As even Danzou was unwilling to push once the Hokage put his hat down so to speak the subject was immediately dropped. Although every elder had their suspicions about what exactly the Hokage was doing to lure the Nara back into the fold.

"Now..." Sarutobi said pleasantly as he leaned back in his chair. "To the main point of this meeting. My wayward students.."

"Which one?" Koharu asked sarcastically. There was no one in Konoha that didn't know that Koharu and Homura both despised all three sannin for their disloyalty, even though Jirayias disloyalty was slightly forced onto him.

"All of them." Sarutobi said with a humorous glint in his eyes. He was well aware what his team-mates thought of his students. He had never let both of them know that Jiraiya was never in the village because of orders from himself. The less attachments Jiraiya had in the village the better. The less chance of him snapping Naruto up.

Danzou cleared his throat and looked at Sarutobi expectantly. "Are you finally forcing them back to serve like they should have always done?" He enquired somewhat incredulously as he had spent years trying to convince the old fox of exactly that.

Sarutobi shook his head sadly. "No, Tsunade and Jiraiya are too broken and Orochimaru is a lost cause, i hear he is experimenting with his own little fiefdom nowadays."

Koharu raised an eyebrow. "If your not calling them back then are you sending the two after the one?"

"No. It is not yet time for Orochimaru to die." Sarutobi stated simply getting incredulous looks from even Homura.

"Are you sure its not your weakness in not being able to kill your favourite rearing its head again Hiruzen?" Danzou asked dryly. _The sooner Orochimaru gets taken down the better, __i still have no idea how he managed to infiltrate Konoha._

Sarutobi chuckled bemusedly. "No old friend i have different plans in place for my old student. Jirayia and Tsunade are enacting them as we speak."

Homura stared at his friend in disbelief. "How did you get Tsunade to agree to that?"

Sarutobi smiled, and the smile was all teeth. "Simple. I told her i would find her and personally kill her if she abandoned a mission from me again."

As Koharu and Homura both tittered in shock Danzou watched his old nemesis with a narrowed eye. _What are you up to Hiruzen? It's not like you to act this brazenly outside Konoha. You've always played the diplomat abroad while ruling with manipulations and force inside Konoha. Have the recent situations really changed you enough that you feel we need to be more pro active. If they are then i might have to completely change my plans. I'll be watching you, __you__ damn old monkey!_

* * *

At the border between fire and grass in a small fire samurai outpost another meeting was taking place.

"Fancy seeing you here Hime." Jiraiya said softly with a bittersweet smile. Him and Tsunade have a love/hate relationship that had only grown harsher as the years went by and they both felt the betrayal of their village.

"Don't push! I do not want to be here and i certainly don't want to work with you." Tsunade snarled marching up to the toad sannin and abruptly taking the sannin's bottle of sake before sitting down across from him.

"No need to be so harsh this wasn't exactly my idea of a picnic either." Jirayia drawled sarcastically, even in his bad mood he lecherously took in the large assets his former team-mate was lugging around.

Tsunade took a large swig before slamming the bottle down allowing Jirayia to have a turn. "I swear Konoha's going to the dogs if Sensei has to call us in for every little thing he wants kept under wraps."

Jiraiya smiled bitterly as he took a swig. "Sensei let that happen on purpose as you well know Hime. The less assertive his shinobi the less challenge to his ideals."

He leaned back with a sigh adding to his theory. "As much as he would rather have a Godaime by now Sensei wants his ideals for Konoha to be the only ideal. As such he pushes and pushes to get the result, no matter who gets sacrificed."

"Point one, Us. Sensei did everything he could to completely destroy any autonomy we had and make us reliant on him and he pushed Orochimaru into insanity and you into exile. Point two, The Uchiha clan. I don't know for sure what happened but I'm sure Sensei isn't innocent in that."

Taking another swig before Tsunade grabbed the bottle from him with murder in her eyes because of his hogging he continued. "Point three the Kumo incident. I'm not the only one confused why Kumo attacked us and then got concessions from us."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow slightly confused. "I thought i had heard that Hyuuga Hizashi willingly sacrificed himself to avoid a war?"

Jiraiya pointed at himself. "World class spy network." He shrugged his shoulders. "I could be wrong about that one." He admitted. "However Sensei just so happened to have a 2 hour meeting with Hizashi before he suddenly wanted to sacrifice himself. " He smiled sadly. "We know from experience how convincing sensei can be."

Tsunade's shoulder's sagged as she conceded the point. "Sometimes i wish we had defected when Iwa offered us a place during the war."

Jiraiya scoffed. "Oonoki is of the same mold as sensei it would have been the same deal. Stand there look pretty and do as i say."

Tsunade sighed as she put her sake down. "You might as well continue pervert. I'm depressed enough so tell me more of how screwed we are."

Jiraiya nodded eyeing the way her bust moved as Tsunade moved. Once a pervert always a pervert after all. "Point 4 is the way he have ostracized the Nara clan and stubbornly refuse to take them back when all he needs to do is repel a pointless civilian decree that a majority of Konoha couldn't care less about."

"So.. What are you saying exactly?"

Jiraiya looked up at the ceiling with closed eyes. "I believe Sensei is angling to purge Konoha of those that aren't invested into the will of fire ideology." _Of course that includes us as we are too powerful now to have to rely on the almighty Kami no shinobi._

Tsunade rolled the idea around her head for awhile. "You know that does sounds like him." She said with a sad snort.

"I got a message from Danzou.." Jiraiya abruptly brought up eyeing her for her reaction.

"What does that old fossil want? He must be thrilled that Sensei is beating the war drums, even if its directed more against his own village."

"He wants Orochimaru dead and he actually insinuated that one of us needed to become Hokage soon or Konoha would be led to ruin." Jiraiya answered quietly. He himself was still not sure if Danzou were baiting them. He knew the old fossil disliked them very much for not serving Konoha to their fullest ability.

Tsunade laughed as she spilled sake all over the table. "Us? Hokage? He must have finally gone senile, neither of us have any reason to do any favours for that place anymore. We only still do these kind of missions to avoid being labelled missing nin."

Jiraiya shrugged carelessly. "Either of us would right now be better then sensei. He is endangering all we ever fought for." _The older he gets the more he resorts to violent measures, if the med nin's weren't already testing for senility i would have been sure he'd gone senile. _

"I refuse to be Hokage! You know my story, you know why!" Tsunade snarled close to tears.

_Yikes! She is really all over the place right now, must be that time of the month! _Jiraiya thought as he watched Tsunade break down.

Placing his hand over hers he sighed. "Alright i will take it if it comes to that." _Rather me then sensei or Danzou... Although i don't understand Danzou's role in that, is it a trap or not._

"Report for the briefing." Came a voice from behind them suddenly.

Both Tsunade and Jiraiya scowled as an ANBU appeared ordered them inside and then disappeared again.

Reaching his hand out to help Tsunade up Jiraiya grinned slightly. "Need a hand Hime?"

Tsunade scoffed but allowed herself to be helped up. "Watch where your hands are going pervert." She warned.

Jiraiya waggled his eyebrows comically. "It's Super pervert oh Queen of the Melons."

Needless to say Jiraiya arrived for his briefing by way of super powered fist.

* * *

A scowling Tsunade and an already fully healed Jiraiya sat down in the secured room under the fire country garrison. Their only other companion was the masked operative that had ordered them in here to begin with.

"You got a name?" Jiraiya asked irritably as the agent triple checked that all the security was set up to prevent any kind of eavesdropping.

The ANBU turned towards Jiraiya. "Yes." Then he turned back to his work.

Tsunade laughed mockingly as Jiraiyas eye ticked. "What is your name?" Jiraiya ground out.

Finished with checking the privacy seals the agent turned around and walked to stand in front of the sannin highlighting a map of earth and grass country. "My name is sir. As in yes sir."

Jiraiya groaned. "Just get this crap over with."

"Your orders from Hokage-Sama are to infiltrate Earth country through Grass and apprehend or kill Yoton no Roshi ( Roshi of the lava release. )" The ANBU agent said matter of fact.

"Are you insane!?" Tsunade stood up angrily protesting against the mission. Jiraiya just closed his eyes and slumped down. He had suspected something like that. Even he had not suspected them to be sent for a Jinchuuriki though.

"Furthermore, you will accomplish this appearing as Orochimaru and will leave the battleground with plenty of evidence suggesting such." The ANBU agent finished not even paying any attention to Tsunade's protest.

Tsunade rubbed her forehead growling angrily. "Let me understand this perfectly well. You want us to infiltrate a major elemental country. Then fight and kill or capture a Jinchuuriki with decades of experience all without using our major skills pretending to be Orochimaru?"

"Yes.. Also as soon as this mission is finished you will destroy Orochimaru's bases in Earth country disguised as Iwa shinobi. You have already received Intel regarding their whereabouts."

"This is preposterous!" Tsunade yelled angrily raising her fist. Jiraiya stood up and stopped her his face set in stone. "Tsunade... What did sensei say in his letter?"

Tsunade growled again and stalked out of the room. Jiraiya knew very well she had received the same threat he had. If they weren't going to fulfil this mission like good little leaf shinobi they would be hunted down and killed by sensei personally. He turned towards the ANBU agent. "We will do it, just give us a day to set up a plan."

After leaving he quickly went to the nearest bar and sure enough sitting in the corner was Tsunade with several bottles of sake.

He slid into the booth and grabbed one of the bottles. "We have no choice you know." He stated quietly.

"Shut up Jiraiya!" Tsunade mumbled as she drowned herself in sake. "He's sending us on what's basically a suicide mission. If we manage it great, if not he still gets what he wants."

"We can do this mission and you know it Tsunade, Roshi should not be able to defeat us both." Jiraiya argued halfheartedly. Even if they defeated Roshi there was always the chance of all of Iwa dropping in. Or even Oonoki. Jiraiya would rather not fight that midget if he could help it.

"It doesn't matter, you know we are starting the fourth shinobi war right now." Tsunade said utterly defeated.

"Well a war between Orochimaru and Iwa either way... Oonoki will probably fall for it but Orochimaru won't." Jiraiya replied knowing full well such a war usually ended up pulling other nations in.

"What happened to the Konoha the Senju set up." Tsunade asked sadly. Jiraiya had no answer to that and they both sat there in silence drinking until night set in.

* * *

In the Mizukage's palace in Kirigakure one week later.

"Mizukage-Sama" Kisame greeted with a shark like grin as he bowed to the masked man sitting lazily on the throne while his puppet Yagura did paperwork at the nearby desk not even noticing the Kiri missing nin entering.

"How are the fools in rain doing?" Tobi asked lazily as absentmindedly tossed peanuts in Yagura's hair.

"Hanzo is dead finally." Kisame replied nonchalantly. "Itachi refused to come by the way."

Tobi snorted. "That child still thinks he can avoid the future that will come, no matter, he will learn eventually."

Kisame turned his eyes towards the puppet Mizukage. "Are you going to use him for much longer? I had to kill my way here through a bunch of rebels and loyalists fighting it out on the streets."

"The rebels will be pushed out soon enough." Tobi commented as he stood up and walked over to Yagura. "I will leave this fool to his fate soon enough after i suppose." He smacked the Jinchuuriki over the head. "You'll get to die soon aren't you happy?" He taunted while Kisame stood watching and smirking.

"Will you do it?" Kisame asked curiously. Smirking and reaching for Samehada he commented. "I could do it."

Before Tobi could answer Zetsu arrived right behind the swordsman. Who jumped away with an annoyed scowl. "Don't do that!" He warned showing his teeth warningly.

"So what had the vaunted sannins running around with their heads cut off?" Tobi asked intently.

"**They're planning on killing the Jinchuuriki of the four tails."** Black Zetsu growled. "They were covered by seals at first but got drunk and talked about it afterwards." White Zetsu cackled.

"Why would Jiraiya and Tsunade suddenly make such a move?" Kisame asked with disbelief. It was well known in missing nin circles that Tsunade mostly went around boozing and gambling and that Jiraiya was a man whore of highest degree.

Tobi snorted. "Must be Sarutobi there's no way those two would do something like this on their own, what i can't understand is what Konoha has to gain from this."

"**They are to perform the mission masquerading as Orochimaru.**"

"So they are annoyed at Orochimaru's constant sniping against leaf and are trying to set him up. Pretty clever of some tree-huggers." Kisame said grinning. He personally would love to skin Orochimaru.

"Kisame... Leave Itachi to me and head to the land of Earth. I want you to capture their target if it looks like they will kill him. If he is captured then steal him and if possible kill Tsunade and Jiraiya. We can not let Konoha go around collecting Bijuu." Tobi ordered tersely.

Turning towards Zetsu he ordered. "Try and find Roshi before they do and lead Kisame there. If Iwa looks to get involved get Kisame out of there. We can't afford to draw the great five's attention too much."

As his subordinates nodded Tobi scowled and stalked out of the room. That damn Sarutobi, why couldn't leaf keep their noses out for another couple of years.

* * *

"Hello dear." Sarutobi said softly as he kneeled on the ground fingers softly stroking the cold marble headstone of his late wife Biwako.

"I feel conflicted my love. I sent my students on a mission weeks ago. They will hate me for it, if they get away with their lives. So will Konoha if the mission leaks... I must do it for Konoha.. I must... Do you believe in me Biwako? Am i doing the right thing?"

Sarutobi bowed his head down to the ground tears flowing. "I need you here Biwako, i feel the safety at Konoha is at risk and no matter how much i grow more harsh i keep feeling the will of fire slipping away from me."

Pounding the ground in anger he stares at the headstone praying for an answer. "Please...Am i doing the right thing?"

Looking up to the sky he closes his eyes exhausted. _Konoha is on my shoulders and it has never been heavier. How many more of my children do i need to ruin to safe keep the rest. Did i do the right thing after i ascended to the seat all those years ago? Am i doing the right __thing __now? I need someone to answer me!_

The only sound was the wind-chimes as the wind swept through the Sarutobi compounds private graveyard, then suddenly the sound of a cane hitting the ground could be heard and Sarutobi rose to meet his guest.

"This is unlike you Hiruzen." Danzou commented disapprovingly staring at the grave of the man's wife.

"I called you here because we need to work together for this." Sarutobi bit out, his rival had seen him break down before so it didn't bother him, however that didn't mean he needed any comments on it.

Danzou shook his head. "I've told you before Hiruzen as long as you remain on the path you are on i will not assist you."

Sarutobi smiled grimly. "I thought you were all for Konoha supremacy Danzou?"

"You aren't doing this for Konoha you have deluded yourself Hiruzen, you are doing this out of grief, hatred and revenge. All the emotions that make shinobi weak." Danzou stated knowing his statement would be brushed aside.

"We have the same goal now Danzou." Sarutobi argued.

Danzou scoffed and turned around to walk away. "Same goal...Perhaps Hiruzen.. But in the last few years your methods have been worse then even i could have imagined. You don't know who killed Biwako.. Taking it out on the world does Konoha no good no matter how much you delude yourself to think your doing it for another reason."

Sarutobi sat in silence staring at his wife's headstone as his rival walked away. Once again they could not agree on anything.

_An eye for an eye makes the world go blind... Biwako i will find your killer if i have to blind the entire world twice!_

* * *

"Nice try!" Came the yell from above him as Shikamaru dodged the weapons his uncle had taken out of the air and thrown back at him.

Six months of training had led to Shikamaru being a solid genin with some chuunin skills and his clan was very proud of his continuous improvement. However Shikamaru had hit somewhat of a plateau as his physical improvement could not move forward until puberty started growing his body to handle anymore muscle.

Dodging another kunai Shikamaru let off a flash-bang and used the brief seconds gained by that to hide himself with a Genjutsu and move away from his Uncle's position.

Although his Uncle was not as genial with him anymore he still trained him hard and Shikamaru was thankful that his uncle had not abandoned him after his mistakes a few months ago.

Shikamaru now wore complete black to blend into shadows better. If he had enough shadow around he could curl it around him and become almost invisible. If he wore something like Naruto's orange not even his skill with the Nara jutsu could hide him.

Hearing his Uncle coming he quickly went through seals. "Kychiose no jutsu (Summoning jutsu). "

He quickly directed the wolf pack he had summoned to fan out and ambush his uncle when he engaged Shikamaru. It was a risky move as summoning the pack cost him a third of his chakra. He wasn't about to give up the spar though.

As his uncle threw a barrage of shuriken to protect his entrance into the clearing Shikamaru smirked as his bunshin disappeared. It seems his genjutsu was still hiding him well enough.

His senses screaming at him is what stopped Keibi's kick from knocking him out immediately he still took a glancing blow to the shoulder though and was sent away flying hitting the ground with a groan. Before his uncle could capitalize the pack threw themselves out of the trees and advanced on him.

By the time Shikamaru had gotten up his summons had all been dismissed and Keibi was standing there his arms crossed.

"Yeah, yeah." Shikamaru grumbled.

"Don't yeah me Shika, you got overconfident again!" Keibi complained as he walked up to the young Nara.

"Just because i attack your clone doesn't mean that i don't know where you are."

Shikamaru nodded annoyed with his own mistake. He had been making quite a lot of them lately. He blamed Sasuke for rubbing his superiority complex onto him.

"Let's go home, you still need to wash up before heading to your Sensei's celebration." Keibi put a hand on Shikamaru's shoulder as he guided him on the path towards their house.

Kurenai had just made Jounin and was being thrown a celebration at a BBQ restaurant. Shikamaru was happy for his sensei but her making Jounin meant his apprenticeship was over as she would be too busy with missions to be able to hold such a position.

As they entered the house both of them stood in silence watching what _had _been their nice clean house.

"Shikamaru..." Keibi said calmly raising the hairs on Shikamaru's neck.

"You have two minutes to get you and your friends off my property before i kill you all."

Shikamaru didn't even have to think, rushing into a sprint he left the house and his friends to their fates. If they had been stupid enough to prank his uncle they deserved it. And how the hell had Naruto convinced Sasuke to prank anyone!?

A rustle to his left brought both boys out running next to him, Naruto grinning like a loon and Sasuke wearing a smug grin. Shikamaru rolled his eyes but wasn't able to stop his own grin from forming. That was until he could feel the air whoosh by as a sofa flew by his head to crash into a nearby tree.

Looking back they could all see Keibi following them summoning all kinds of things to throw at them.

Seeing a sink fly by Sasuke smirked. "I guess you aren't the only Nara that's insane."

Shikamaru scowled at him ducking a rubber duck. "How did you get involved in this anyway?"

Sasuke shrugged easily keeping up the running and dodging. "The dobe managed to convince me that sneaking onto the grounds and messing things up were stealth training."

Shikamaru looked at a grinning Naruto who was running backwards yelling obscenities towards his uncle and then looked back at Sasuke. "You listened to Naruto!?" He yelled in disbelief.

Sasuke shrugged. "Even an idiot has his day."

"Shut up Teme!" Naruto yelled turning around not noticing the kitchen table thrown at him.

Both Sasuke and Shikamaru winced at the same time and pulled the groaning Naruto up and helped him run as they ran out of the borders of the clan compound.

As much as Sasuke and Naruto disliked each other sometimes they all watched each others back. Naruto knew that Sasuke and Shikamaru had revenge to get. Just as Sasuke and Shikamaru supported his goal to be Hokage, in Sasuke's way mockingly but still support.

They quickly rushed over towards the BBQ restaurant not trusting Keibi to stay within the borders.

* * *

"Yay Nai-chan is the BOMB WOOHOO!" Anko yelled out dancing on top of the table easily attracting the attention of the whole place. And bringing a full blush to Kurenai who hid her face in her hands.

"Well... She is as quiet and demure as i remember her." Shikamaru said dryly sitting next to Kurenai.

"Don't even, you'll get her to act up more." The new Jounin groaned.

Shikamaru chuckled. "Ever since i stuck Naruto to her coattails she does nothing but act up." He pointed out. _Better him then me... I'd rather be trained by the Kazekage!_

"Don't remind me... Those two are too alike for my sanity."

"Congratulations on the promotion though." Shikamaru offered honestly with a smile.

Kurenai patted him on the head smirking. "Don't worry chibi, you can't get rid of me, I'm planning on becoming a jounin sensei so maybe you'll see me sooner then later."

"Those poor poor kids." Shikamaru mocked teasingly.

She rolled her eyes and gave him a swat over the head. Unfortunately that caught Anko's attention who immediately bounced over. Involuntarily giving both Naruto and Sasuke quite the peepshow as she walked on the table.

Shikamaru could see Sasuke mouthing to Naruto. _You lucky bastard! _And Naruto eyes twitching mouthing back. _She's crazy Teme you can have her._

Anko plopped down in-between Shikamaru and Kurenai cuddling up to Kurenai while smirking. "Hitting your boy-toy Nai-chan? If I'd have known you were into that kind of stuff I'd have lent you some toys."

"I'm not hearing this." Shikamaru groaned as he put his head on the table. Every time he was around her only reminded him more of why he foisted her off to Naruto.

"You know you want some hot Anko time." Anko teased her mortified friend.

"Keep it up Anko I'll leave you to watch the kids while the other jounin and i go out to celebrate." Kurenai warned.

Anko pouted and held her hands up. "I'll be good, i hear Asuma's back from the twelve guardians maybe you can get a nice present."

Kurenai rolled her eyes. "Anko you know I'm dating Keibi."

"Trust me we all know." Shikamaru said dryly. After Keibi finally told him the guy wouldn't stop talking about his Kurenai-chan."

Anko shrugged with a shameless grin. "I'm sure Keibi wouldn't mind a sandwich wink wink nudge nudge."

"ANKO!" Kurenai spluttered beet red. Especially as Keibi had just walked up to their table.

"I'd love a sandwich I'm starving." Keibi grunted as he sat down. Kissing Kurenai on the cheek as he took the only empty spot.

"What?" He asked as everyone at the table stared at him with open mouths.

"Ugh i need brain bleach." Shikamaru complained feeling sick.

Anko started laughing and even Kurenai giggled as Keibi looked around trying to find out what was so funny.

Sasuke sat still observing everything quietly. It felt weird being included in this. He hadn't had anything close to a family dinner for some time now. It felt... Good.

For Naruto it was nothing more then pure exhilaration. Yeah he could do without the crazy snake lady but everyone here accepted him. And it was all thanks to Shikamaru. He was going to make sure to help Shikamaru get his dream Dattebayo! He had given Naruto the family he always craved for and Naruto would do anything to help his best friend.

It was a good day for everyone. No one even aware of all the storm clouds gathering that would release the biggest storm the elemental countries had ever seen in a few years time. But for now they were all happy. If only they knew...

* * *

"Are you sure about this... It will be breaking the mission parameters." Tsunade whispered as they made their way up the mountains their target had secluded himself in-between. It was very convenient for them as it meant no interruptions from pesky Iwa shinobi. However since the risk of detection was low Jiraiya had decided that they could fight as they were and then plant evidence of Orochimaru.

"What if someone spots us?" She hissed at the stone faced Toad sannin. She had a bad feeling about this entire mission that's why she had left Shizune behind to wait for her.

"Tsu-Hime we're fighting a Jinchuuriki we can't afford to not use our best abilities." Jiraiya argued for the tenth time his eyes scanning around him feeling exposed in such an open area devoid of trees.

"Are you sure he's here?"

Jiraiya nodded as he signalled her to be quiet. They were approaching the edge of the valley between the two mountains and according to his sources this is where Roshi lived out his self imposed exile.

Both of them slowly edging their way forward chakra signatures hidden they came to the top of a hill to find Roshi waiting for them with his arms crossed and an annoyed look on his face.

"Oh crap." Jiraiya summed it up as Tsunade glared at him angrily hissing. "I told you asking around was a mistake!" _What kind of spymaster goes around asking women if they knew where the Jinchuuriki was!_

Roshi chuckled darkly eyeing them both. "Now normally i don't have a problem with anyone so imagine my surprise when a few acquaintances of mine tell me that two leafs are sniffing around my mountains."

The old man shook his head his red hair waving in the cold breeze. "I hadn't expected the sannin though, i guess the war is starting again then... No other reason for Konoha to be so foolish."

He huffed and readied himself is head-plate still proudly displaying the symbol of Iwagakure. "I'm not going to say this again... Leave.. Now!"

Jiraiya looked at Tsunade before nodding and speeding through hand seals. "Kychiose no jutsu (Summoning jutsu)."

As the toad elders Ma and Pa appeared on Jiraiyas shoulders Tsunade kicked the earth creating a large moving mound of dirt moving towards Roshi.

Roshi quickly sped through hand seals himself. "Yoton: Shakugaryugan no jutsu. (Lava release: Scorching stream rock jutsu.)" He expels a massive amount of Lava that solidifies as boulders of molten rock that easily smashes through Tsunade's attack burning anything in their way.

Managing to barely avoid the rocks a now toad faced Jiraiya yells angrily at his team mate. "You were supposed to keep him occupied Tsunade!"

"You try to block lava you idiot!" She yells back as she dodges falling boulders her eyes widening as Roshi suddenly isn't standing where he was anymore. "OH-SHI-"

"TSUNADE!" Jiraiya yells as the slug sannin takes a kick to the temple that shoots her into the mountain obscuring her in the enormous dust cloud that appears as she breaks part of the mountain apart.

"Jiraiya-chan if you lose Tsunade-chan we won't have time to perform the Magen: Gama Rinsho. (Demonic illusion: Toad confrontation chant.)"

"I know Shima, i know." Jiraiya swore as he lept into the dust cloud to find and partner up with Tsunade again. She was not quite in her best shape if she was that easily caught he had expected her to be able to hold her own better, drinking your life away had its disadvantages it seemed.

He had to immediately go on the defensive as Roshi appeared covered in his infamous Lava armour making Taijutsu an impossible venue of attack. Even as he dodged Roshi's strikes he could feel the heat burn him.

"Cool down. Suiton: Teppodama. ( Water release: Liquid bullet.)" Fukasaku yelled as his cheeks bulged out and he spat out a water bullet at Roshi who had to move away slightly as the bullet had enough power that if it hit wrong it could hurt him even with his armour as it would chill down the area where it hit.

"Now hit him." Jiraiya yelled as he saw Tsunade sprinting against a backtracking Roshi pushing him towards the mountain wall and simultaneously with the toads he went into seals. "SENPO: GOEMON. (Sage art: bath of boiling oil.)"

As Roshi avoids Tsunade's fist he isn't able to protect himself from her sweeping leg that knocks him into the mountain wall. Tsunade grimaces as her leg burns but quickly heals it as she backs off from the danger zone.

Jiraiya spits out a massive volume of oil as Fukasaku propels it towards Roshi with a wind technique and Shima spitting out a large stream of fire lighting it all up into a burning inferno.

The entire mountain side is bathed in flames and start to crack as the incredible heat melts it into slag.

"Not even a lava user can survive that heat." Tsunade confidently says striding up to Jiraiya. Even as she speaks her eyes are still scanning the surroundings not willing to take any chances.

"He's not dead." Jiraiya grunted able to feel his chakra signature moving underground. He looks towards Tsunade. "Will you be able to hold him for a minute now that you are warmed up?"

Tsunade scoffs and cracks her knuckles punching the ground and forcing Roshi to reemerge. "Leave it to me." She states more confidently then how she feels as she jumps in to attack the old Jinchuuriki.

Roshi sighs as he stands up cranking his neck watching the incoming Tsunade. "This is going to end now, no more mister nice guy."

Tsunade reached Roshi in a matter of seconds just to be thrown off as a chakra cloak with two tails erupted over the old Iwa shinobi. As she regained her footing she immediately summoned some slugs. "Take up positions attack with acid and try and keep him contained." She ordered as she punched the ground grabbing the large piece of earth and throwing it against Roshi.

Roshi scoffs as he simply powers through it advancing on Tsunade, his tails immediately piercing the slugs dismissing them. He ducks underneath her opening punch attempting to slam her in the midriff his cloak would ensure that she would be severely burned and poisoned by the chakra making her an easy target as she wouldn't be able to protect her soft organs with chakra like she could her fists or legs.

Tsunade had other ideas as she swivels on the loose gravel and sends a knee against his chin. Roshi's tails slam into the ground pulling him back saving him from the knee as he spits a stream of lava bullets at the incoming Tsunade.

Strengthening her legs with chakra Tsunade jumps in between the rocks and arrive right in front of Roshi punching him in the chest breaking apart some of the lava armour and sending him flying back.

She grimaces as the skin simply melts off her hand as not even her chakra control can contribute enough to protect her against both armour and bijuu.

Roshi having simply used his tails to stop himself from flying any further starts another chain of hand seals only to stop suddenly.

"Magen: Gama Rinsho. (Demonic illusion: Toad confrontation chant.) Is a success!"

Tsunade sighs in relief as she sets out to heal her hand as best as she can as Jiraiya appears with the elder toads having finally finished their ultimate genjutsu."

"Well i guess its best if i finish him he's too dangerous to capture." Jiraiya muttered as he readied a rasengan. Walking up to Roshi he held the rasengan to his chest. "Sorry about this buddy but we follow orders just like you." As he pushed it through his heart he was shocked as it turned into mud. _Mud clone!? But how?_

Turning around to warn Tsunade he is just in time to see Roshi sticking his arm out of her chest from behind her blood spurting out for a brief second before the wound cauterizes thanks to his lava armour. "A Jinchuuriki doesn't work the same as everyone else when it comes to genjutsu fool, I always have two chakra's available. I missed her heart thanks to her quick reflexes but she is dying anyway so let's finish this Jiraiya of the sannin." With a sneer Roshi kicks Tsunade off him and motions for Jiraiya to attack.

Jiraiya could just stare at the unmoving form of Tsunade laying on the ground. He could briefly hear the sound of Ma and Pa screaming at him as Roshi got tired of waiting and attacked. His view turned from Tsunade towards Roshi and he screamed in pure rage as he created his largest Rasengan to date and smashed it into Roshi who even augmenting himself with his Bijuu wasn't able to escape the speed with which Jiraiya appeared before him.

"DIE!" Jiraiya snarled as he slammed the rasengan into Roshi sending the old Iwa shinobi screaming into the broken mountain his Lava armour cracking and his bijuu cloak failing.

"He's still alive Jiraiya-chan." Shima uttered softly as Jiraiya readied another jutsu to once and for all take out the bastard.

"JIRAIYA!" Comes the bellow as the four tailed beast emerges to attack him. A tailed beast ball forming.

"Did you know he could control his transformation?" Fukasaku asked shocked.

"No." Jiraiya admits bitterly. They had been wholly unprepared. And much too confident in old achievements. "I fear this might be our last meeting. Take care of the toads neh?"

"Jiraiya-chan!" Both toads yell as he dismisses them in puffs of smoke opting to leave them out of the destruction about to happen.

Just as the bijuu ball is ready and Jiraiya prepares his best defensive jutsu Tsunade appears out of the blue punching the bijuu ball and forcing it down onto the Jinchuuriki.

Jiraiya gapes as the ball explodes completely covering the area in light and dust. Staggering through the dust he finally finds Tsunade sitting next to a heavily bleeding unconscious Roshi.

"Tsu-Tsunade your alive!" He yells as he rushes forward. "How!?"

"I used the Sozo Saisei (Creation Rebirth.) To heal all my injuries." She sighed as she looked down at her right side which was missing an arm after punching the Bijuu ball. "As soon as i regain some chakra I'm going to use it again and regenerate my arm."

"At least we got Roshi." Tsunade says smiling at Jiraiya.

In the rest of his life Jiraiya would always remember that smile that joy of having won, of being alive. And the second it was taken away from her as Samehada one of the 7 swords of the mist ripped her head off her shoulders.

"Take out the healer first.. Shinobi 101." Kisame stated satisfied as Zetsu grabbed the unconscious Roshi. "Gotta thank you guys, you sure made it easy for me. And showing me that healing technique making me go for a one hit kill, i gotta say this was a great day." He grinned savagely at Jiraiya before jumping off not willing to fight an enraged Jiraiya when who knows how many Iwa nin would soon be converging on this area.

Jiraiya mechanically got up and went over to Tsunade. As he sealed her corpse for a proper burial he created a shadow clone to set up traces of Orochimaru in the area. And mission or no mission he wasn't sacking any of Orochimaru's bases, he was getting the hell out of earth country.

He needed to train, get stronger and then hunt down and kill anyone wearing those black cloaks with red clouds on them.

* * *

Now aren't i cruel? With my shinobi world being a lot more manipulative and underneath the underneath there was no way i was allowing Tsunade the Hokage seat and i just thought that this was the best way to utilize her to create a more serious Jiraiya.

You get to see more emotion from Sarutobi who we find out is scouring the world for his Wife's killer. And of course some Danzou as usual.

And unusually almost no Shikamaru in this chapter. This chapter though is the end of the pre genin days. Next chapter we'll face genin Shikamaru and his misadventures. Review if you like it, or hate it. Or got lost on the road of life, Ja Ne


	8. Genius meet force

To the person sad to see Tsunade die.. Trust me i was sad to kill her too. I mean those breasts could have had a major impact on the story. Now i will never be able to write a lemon where she suffocates someone with them. Kidding aside. In my story her breaking from Konoha was a bit more serious thanks to a slightly crueler Sarutobi. Years of drinking herself stupid meant she wasn't as strong as normal and overconfidence in old skills and old achievements made her make mistakes. I never intended the drunk and gambler to ascend to Hokage in this Konoha so she was perfect in getting the goofy pervert Jiraiya who still somewhat worshipped his teacher even though bitterly to shape up and get going.

To the reviewer JP: Don't worry i am glad that you enjoy my writing. And although you believe i am getting fewer reviews then necessary to continue writing i will always continue this story.

I might take a few weeks off now and then but this story has been bubbling in me for quite a few years and i am not about to abandon it because i only have a small following. As long as one person out there enjoys reading it i will enjoy writing it. So enjoy and don't worry.

Also lots of flashbacks in this chapter as the genin days start but several things happening these last few years gets explained in flashbacks.

And with that here's another instalment of the story Do you fear the darkness. I am on a roll during my vacation it seems lol. Hope you enjoy.

_Like this= Thoughts that dun run through my noggin_

**Like this= BOOO I'm a monster be afraid, so very afraid!**

I do not own Naruto if i did i would totally have stopped upgrading the sharingan every time someone farts. It belongs to Kishimoto.. especially the sharingan upgrades,, They belong to him sooo bad.

* * *

"This is getting to be a habit that i don't much approve of." Danzou grumbled as he put his tea down and turned to face the second sannin to have broken into his base without anyone noticing. "How is it that both you and Orochimaru break in here so easily? Can i expect Tsunade next?" He asked sarcastically. _I even moved the base, how did he find it so quickly?_

Jiraiya stalked forward his chakra pulsing as he kept himself in check. As much as he wanted to just kill the old man for being involved in assigning him the mission he knew it had been his Sensei's idea. "Tsunade is dead." He stated emotionlessly.

Danzou frowned and his lone eye pierced the sannin's for a few seconds. "How? Roshi should have never been able to stand up against the both of you?"

Jiraiya frowned and slammed his hand down on the desk."We overestimated ourselves... Especially Tsunade, she wasn't nearly as fast as i remember and her strength wasn't quite there. I saw her punch Roshi straight in the chest and only cracking his armour. The Tsunade i knew would have blown a hole through his body with that punch."

Danzou narrowed his eye. "Your not telling me something, even weakened by her boozing the two of you should have been able to take Roshi out. Tsunade is able to heal herself from even the most life threatening injuries." _Are you trying to play Tsunade off as dead so she can disappear off the radar and not have to do anymore missions Jiraiya!?_

Jiraiya gnashed his teeth together his hands going into fists as he stared at the floor. "Hoshigake Kisame.. Right after Tsunade managed to knock Roshi out appeared out of nowhere and cut her head straight off, even her healing ability can't overcome that." He mumbled bitterly. _And there he had been frozen instead of protecting his teammate and he hadn't even been able to take revenge as Kisame had fled and he had to finish his mission._

"Kisame... What would an S-rank missing nin from Mizu be doing in the land of earth." Danzou asked sharply. _If this is what i think it is then damn that Tobi, he will force Hiruzen to make even bigger plays now._

"He was wearing a black cloak with red clouds and with him was a man that appeared to be surrounded by a venus flytrap wearing the same cloak. They grabbed Roshi and disappeared." Jiraiya explained suspiciously as he could see that none of this information surprised the old war-hawk.

"Akatsuki." Danzou bit out as if it was a curse. "They are hunting the Bijuu." _That can be the only explanation for this. At least this mission finally showed me their goal._

Jiraiya looked at him sneering. "And how is it that i a spymaster have not heard of these guys and you have?"

Danzou scoffed. "Hiruzen is the reason we have any knowledge of these people." _As far as i will tell you Jiraiya..._

"What does sensei have to do with them?" Jiraiya asked incredulously.

"After Biwako died he has made increasingly dangerous plays abroad to bring them out so he can find her killer. If he found out about them hunting Bijuu it makes his maniacal want to attack Roshi and frame Orochimaru a lot more interesting." Danzou muttered his mind whirling. _Are your really baiting the Akatsuki Hiruzen? Are you hoping they would blame Orochimaru and then you could take both out? Well it backfired on you damn monkey, now we are down one sannin and who knows if Jiraiya is still even loyal. _

"That's why he's been attacking the other elemental countries!?" Jiraiya asked softly. He had never thought his late wife would have been the reason his sensei was turning into a tyrant.

Danzou stood up and walked over to a file cabinet casually grabbing a file labelled Sarutobi Hiruzen he tossed it over to Jiraiya. "That is all the people from Konoha or abroad he has had killed in the last 10 years."

Jiraiya stared at the thick file with bile rising in his throat. "There must be thousands of name's here." He said staring at the file in betrayal. _Sensei... You said you believed in my dream of world peace.. What in this makes you a believer!_

"With Tsunade dead we have less options. You need to become Hokage." Danzou stated harshly.

Jiraiya shook his head mutely as Danzou continued. "If i could take the position i would but Hiruzen has spent four decades working against me with the fire damiyo and both the ANBU commander and the Jounin commander are loyalists of his that will never accept me." He breathed out harshly. "There is no other choice but you. It's time you stopped drowning in your emotions and took charge finally. You are one of the strongest shinobi ever to come out of Konoha it is time you showed it." He thundered.

"Are you suggesting i kill Sensei?" Jiraiya asked quietly. _Let's see if you'll say it.._

Danzou shrugged as he sat down. "Don't tell me your that averse to the idea after Tsunade's unnecessary death. Besides with Hiruzen dead you would finally be able to meet the Yondaime's legacy.."

Jiraiya laughed softly. "Trying to catch me with honey are you old man?"

Danzou didn't move an inch as he stared at the toad sannin. "If i have to kill you myself and put your reanimated corpse as Hokage i will. Konoha will not survive another decade with Hiruzen in charge."

Jiraiya shrugged and smiled bitterly. "I was already going to kill Sensei so might as well take his position too." Smirking at seeing Danzou speechless for once he continued. "I assume you already have a plan in place for such an eventuality?"

_That was surprisingly easy... _Danzou thought as he collected himself. "Yes.. Konoha is hosting the Chuunin exams three years from now. My own spies within Orochimaru's new village tells me he will attack during these exams. It would be the perfect cover. As Orochimaru will no doubt try to take Hiruzen out you will intervene and kill them both when they are weakened."

Jiraiya nodded thoughtfully. "Everyone would believe Orochimaru killed Sensei and that i got revenge and killed Orochimaru."

Danzou smirked. "Exactly. We still have lots of planning to do but more then anything you need to train quite a bit." He pointed out.

Jiraiya looked a bit affronted to have his skills questioned but before he could protest Danzou cut in again. "Sarutobi has had shadow clones do his paperwork ever since the Kyuubi attack. He has trained almost non stop for a decade. He would have slaughtered Roshi with his hands tied behind his back. As you are now you would die facing him."

"So if i spend my time training what exactly will you do?" Jiraiya asked distrustfully. He in no way trusted Danzou but in this they were after the same thing so he would co-operate.. For now.

"I will make sure to set up a plan where Konoha gets minimal losses since we will have to allow the invasion to happen." Danzou stated emotionlessly. The loss of life was regrettable as it would take some time to train up some new tools but it was all for the best. Konoha's tree would grow strong again. And with Jiraiya at the helm Danzou would have an easier time moving around his forces outside the village. After all the spymaster would be focused at home..

"I've made a deal with the devil but so be it, let's do this." Jiraiya stated firmly as he stood up and nodded to Danzou before leaving his office. Not surprised at all to see the corridor outside filled with Root agents. _The old fossil wasn't sure if i was there to attack him, i am sure he had involvement with Akatsuki with how he deflected that question. And no matter what he says i don't believe Sensei was the only one to sponsor the mission to take out Roshi... Watch out Danzou i will get my revenge for Tsunade and that will include you if i find even the slightest bit of evidence._

* * *

Sasuke couldn't wipe the smirk off his face as he got up that morning. After showering and eating breakfast he got dressed in his black shinobi pants and his vest with combat armour and the Uchiha fan proudly displayed on the back. It had been a gift from the Nara's for his 12th birthday.

As he left his home the civilians around him all smiled at him and waved yelling out their support. Sasuke's superior smirk stayed on the entire way to the academy as he basked in the adoring congratulations for once allowing himself being happy about their praise.

As he entered the Academy he ignored the other airhead students and sat down at his normal seat next to the window carelessly putting his feet up on the desk as he smirked predatorily at any student willing to meet his eyes. It was good to be the best he thought happily.

* * *

Naruto bounced up right out of bed full of energy as every morning. Today though he was even more energetic then normal. Rushing through his morning routine he scarfed down seven bowls of instant ramen before jumping out his window landing softly on the ground in the midst of some gaping civilians.

Throwing them a cheeky grin he took off sprinting down the streets a wild grin on his face. Most civilians didn't even notice him anymore unless he made a lot of noise now that he wore an ensemble of dark blue shinobi wear coupled with the black trench coat Anko-Sensei had insisted he had to wear. At least he got to keep the Uzumaki symbol, now that he knew they had been a real clan he was even more proud at wearing it.

He had to admit it all made him look bad ass. Putting on an extra burst of speed he sneakily stole a sticky bun from a stall run by one of the Kyuubi bigots and happily snacked on it as he made his way inside the academy. Noticing Sasuke sitting lazily and scaring people with his sharingan Naruto rolled his eyes and sat down next to him almost vibrating on the seat in excitement.

Today was going to be great he decided as he and Sasuke shared a look and a nod.

* * *

Shikamaru met the floor face first with a groan as his uncle rolled him out of bed with a yell about being late. Grumbling about stupid relatives Shikamaru slowly moved into the shower exiting to find his breakfast already made and sitting in front of the bathroom door.

Rolling his eyes at his overexcited uncle he slowly finished eating before getting dressed in his new attire. He still wore his black combat boots and pants filled with pockets. He had now by courtesy of his uncle added a mesh shirt covered by a black leather jacket that had steel links sowed all through the inside covered by a layer of silk as to not shave his skin off. He admitted that it would be a decent defence for a thrown kunai but that was pretty much its only use.

Frankly he felt like he was a hoodlum wearing a jeans jacket but even Kurenai-sensei had complimented him on it so it was too troublesome to argue.

As soon as he was dressed he was kicked out by his uncle. He sighed as he started walking towards the academy. Yeah it was exciting but seriously why was everyone so troublesome today.

On the way he was largely ignored by the civilians except those few that recognized him as a Nara and frowned at him. He would have scowled at them but it was too troublesome to waste the energy.

Walking into the academy he groaned at the bickering Naruto and Sasuke as he sunk down next to them. He couldn't help to grin though as both of them looked at him meaningfully. Almost in sync they all affirmed what they had already decided a year ago.

One for all, all for one.

Sasuke proudly traced the leaf on his head-plate displayed on his forehead.

Naruto bounced on his seat constantly re-arranging the head-plate that he proudly displayed on his forehead.

Shikamaru grinned at his two friends as he briefly touched the head-plate hanging from his neck.

Today they were assigned as a team, today was their first day of their adventures after graduating one year early thanks to their combined efforts.

Their dreams could finally be realized.

* * *

"They look like a cocky bunch." Kakashi said as he lazily observed the new Team 7 through the Hokage's viewing ball.

"They have reason too having graduated early for the first time allowed since Itachi." Sarutobi mumbled as he watched the three with narrowed eyes. He had allowed it since Konoha would need a perfect showing in the Chuunin exams next year. However that didn't mean that he liked letting the Nara out of Konoha without surveillance.

"Why couldn't Kurenai or Anko have them? They both asked for them." Kakashi said forlornly as he stared at his Sense's son, the boy he had avoided to not be reminded of the Yondaime.

Sarutobi raised an eyebrow sardonically. "Because i chose you Kakashi, you are done with ANBU its time you teach the new generation. Also all three boys have quite the threat level so they will need protection. You are much better suited for that then Kurenai or Anko both fresh jounin."

Kakashi nodded his head depressed with the whole situation. He didn't want a team at all. He could understand the Hokage though. Sasuke as the last Uchiha would be a nice prize for anyone. Naruto if anyone knew about his status as the Yondaime's son or as the jailor of the Kuubi no kitsune would be an even more valuable prize. And Shikamaru as the clan heir of the disgraced Nara clan would make an excellent bargaining prize in getting the Nara clan to betray the village.

"You aren't allowed to fail them Kakashi. Teach them well." Sarutobi ordered dismissively.

Kakashi nodded and disappeared with a shunshin, no doubt to stand at the memorial stone for a couple of hours. Sarutobi looked one last time at the three boys feeling like he was being stupid for allowing them out early. He needed a power team for the exams though so either Gai or Kakashi's teams were going to be it.

The Chuunin exams were too important to fail this coming year.

* * *

"He's not here still." Sasuke grumbled as he sat and waited for team 7's tardy sensei. They were all in their own little worlds thinking about how they had gotten here. Sasuke couldn't help but to think of the conversation he and Shikamaru had a few months prior.

_Flashback no jutsu_

_They had been sparring for over an hour both of them bloody dirty and exhausted but still sporting grins. _

_Sasuke had just thrown a some fireballs that the Nara had easily dodged when Shikamaru went into unfamiliar hand seals calling out "Kychiose no jutsu (Summoning jutsu)." _

_Sasuke had gawked as a 10 feet several hundred pounds black bear with red eyes had appeared and on Shikamaru's orders had charged against him._

_Sasuke tried as hard as he could to dodge as panic started to creep in as every swipe of the bears claws just barely reached him scratching his clothes. _

_Suddenly he stumbled and as he saw the bears jaws coming down towards him everything was suddenly moving more sluggishly and managed to barely avoid the jaws. As he jumped up the bear was dismissed and a grinning Shikamaru walked up._

_Sasuke promptly punched him in the face._

_As Shikamaru groaned and got up he had demanded to know what the hell the Nara was doing._

"_Well, you told me the Sharingan usually activated during life threatening situation so i decided to put you in a carefully controlled life threatening situation to help you achieve it." Shikamaru explained. Then he added smugly. "And i succeeded."_

_Sasuke rushed to the nearby lake throwing himself down on the ground and staring into the lake and sure enough he had the sharingan one tomoe in each eye. He felt a rush of gratitude form that quickly disappeared as Shikamaru sat down next to him and spoke again. "Tell me about Itachi."_

_Throwing himself up to standing position and ready to walk off he sneered at Shikamaru. "That. Is none of your business."_

_Shikamaru just calmly stared back at him. "You know i am smarter then you or anyone or age for that matter, tell me about him maybe i can find some nuance you haven't that will help you."_

_Sasuke had to grudgingly admit that Shikamaru was correct and that the genius might find something that he had missed so he told him the story._

"_Itachi... Was a genius of the highest calibre. Even with that he was always fighting within the clan because he was more pacifistic then the rest of them. Especially my father was against that and drilled him hard sometimes forgetting i even existed." Sasuke started quietly._

_Seeing Shikamaru was just listening quietly his hands in his thinking pose Sasuke continued._

"_I adored Itachi and would always try and get him to train me. He almost never had any time at all for me as he had joined the ANBU. My parents were very proud."_

_Sasuke clenched his fists." Then everything changed. People in the clan kept accusing Itachi of disloyalty and even accusing him of killing our cousin Shisui, i had never seen Itachi so unhinged before."_

"_What happened?" Shikamaru asked quietly._

"_One night when i was coming home late i found dead bodies laying everywhere, i rushed home just to find my older brother standing over the dead bodies of my parents. He claimed he did it all to measure his capacity and then put me in a genjutsu that tortured me for 72 hours with seeing my clan being eradicated in front of my eyes._

_Shikamaru held a hand up making him stop." Wait a minute the reason he gave you was that he was measuring his capacity?"_

_Sasuke nodded with a scowl._

"_That doesn't make any sense!" Shikamaru protested. "If your brother was such a genius why would he test himself by killing a bunch of infants, elderly and civilians along with the shinobi?"_

_Sasuke frowned briefly but shook his head. "He was insane he didn't need any reason."_

_Shikamaru shook his head adamantly. "An insane person would have a hard time killing an entire clan without even a peep being let out until it was done. Also an insane person would have killed you too... He left you alive why?"_

_Sasuke shook his head slowly."He told me to follow his path and to gain enough hatred to come fight him."_

_Shikamaru's eyes widened. "Sasuke he left you alive so you could avenge your family and kill him! Why would he do that if he was an insane murderer killing indiscriminately?"_

_Sasuke thought hard as he stared at his friend. "I don't know..." He finally admitted grudgingly._

_Shikamaru put a hand on his chin and gave Sasuke a look. "I know you want to kill him and we will stand by you if you still want to, but i would me more interested in getting some answers about what really happened first."_

_Sasuke clenched his fists as he thought about the brother he had always loved and then the weird insane monster he had met that night. "I would like to know too..." He mumbled softly._

_Flashback no jutsu end_

* * *

Naruto frowned as he looked around looking for good spots to place a couple of pranks, their sensei deserved it for being so late.

He noticed both Shikamaru and Sasuke were lost in thoughts so he stayed quiet. He would leave them alone, they were his best friends, even the teme had accepted him.

And it was all thanks to Shikamaru.

_Flashback no jutsu_

"_Why do we have to be dragged into this?" Sasuke asked scowling as he lay tiredly on the ground next to an exhausted Naruto and Shikamaru as the She-demon herself Anko-sensei was standing above them._

"_Because you are so cuuute when you bleed." Anko taunted happily._

"_Because she is nuts." Naruto shot back with a scowl._

_Anko cackled and skipped over carelessly pushing Naruto and sitting down on Naruto's face. Both Shikamaru and Sasuke blushed heavily especially as they both knew that the woman rarely wore panties and they both looked away as Naruto struggled to get the snake lady off him._

"_He's going to run out of air soon." Anko announced with a smirk eyeing both of them as Naruto scratched at her legs. She patted him on the head gently as she locked her legs around his head. _

"_What a way to go though." Sasuke said smirking as he lay his head back on the ground._

"_Your no fun." Anko says poutingly as she gets off and stands back up again._

_Naruto crawled away breathing in heavily his face blushing. "Get away from me pedo-sensei!" _

_Anko cackled again. "Its not paedophilia if i was trying to kill you." She said cheerily._

_Shikamaru sat up yawning determined to take the opening given to ask about something that had been bugging him. "Why do so many people want to kill him though?"_

_Anko's face froze as both Naruto and Sasuke stilled and faced her._

_She sheepishly rubbed her head. "That's an S-rank secret I'll die if i tell you." Please drop the subject her inner self screamed terrified that ANBU were going to pop up and kill her._

_Shikamaru scratched his chin. "Everyone keeps saying that... What about Naruto could be an S-class secret and make the entire village hate him."_

_Anko watched nervously as all three kids thought it over. I will be so dead if they figure it out, the hokage will kill me so dead dead dead! She thought._

"_Maybe his parents were mass murderers or something?" Sasuke suggested,_

"_The old man says he doesn't know who my parents were." Naruto said with a shake of his head. "If they were big criminals he should know."_

"_Well.." Shikamaru said skeptically. "It's not like he would tell you either way."_

_Naruto scowled slightly, he liked Shikamaru but the way he kept talking about the old man always rubbed him the wrong way._

_Shikamaru's eyes suddenly widened. "Guys what is the one thing in the last decade that has caused Konoha itself any damage?"_

_Anko's eyes widened. No no no no no don't go there she begged internally not noticing that Shikamaru grew even more sure seeing her reaction._

"_The Kyuubi attack." Sasuke stated succinctly._

"_When is your birthday Naruto?" Shikamaru asked already sure of the answer._

"_...October tenth..." Naruto replied a growing feeling of unease as he saw where Shikamaru was going with this._

"_The date of the Kyuubi attack.." Sasuke said warily eyeing the orange clad idiot sitting next to him._

"_He's a Jinchuuriki that's the only thing that makes sense!" Shikamaru explained eagerly. "That's why all the villagers hate him! They blame him for the Kyuubi attack."_

"_So i am Kyuubi?" Naruto choked out feeling like his world was being ripped apart. Any second now Shikamaru and Sasuke would run away and even Anko-sensei would probably hate him forever._

_Shikamaru shook his head fervently. "No a Jinchuuriki is someone that has the demon sealed inside of them just like a kunai sealed inside a storage scroll. But civilians wouldn't understand that! That's why its mostly the civilians that hate you."_

"_You.. don't hate me?" Naruto asked slowly. He had always wondered why he was hated and to find that he had a giant fur ball stuck inside him being the reason gave him some relief. It wasn't anything he had done, nothing his parents had done. _

_Sasuke scoffed the same time Shikamaru shook his head no. Naruto wanted to jump up and hug them but knew Sasuke would push him off and Shikamaru would find it too troublesome so he just choked out a quiet "Thanks you guys."_

_Suddenly Anko piped in. "If you all forget this conversation ever happened I'll sleep with each one of you! What do you say? I'll seriously rock your worlds!"_

_She got three incredulous looks before all three kids slowly moved away before running off as fast as they could._

"_Aww nuts." Anko sighed, she would have to report this to the Hokage now. Damn brats... She was sexy damn it why did people keep turning her away!_

_Flashback no jutsu end_

* * *

Shikamaru put his head down on his desk. It was too troublesome that their sensei was so late. Hopefully he wouldn't make a habit out of it.

He had hoped for Kurenai but she had not gotten a team yet this year, maybe if he had waited and graduated at the normal pace he could have received her as a sensei.

As he waited he thought back to the eventful last 2 years and the shocks he received.

_Flashback no jutsu_

"_Where the hell am i?" Shikamaru asked as soon as the blindfold was removed. He had simply been walking home after training late when he had suddenly been knocked out._

_An old man with bandages covering half his head was sitting at a plain desk in a barren room only holding the desk a filing cabinet and a door. He noticed that the shinobi that untied his ropes wore an ANBU mask but curiously enough it had no animal on it just a small symbol saying Root._

"_Welcome to Root Shikamaru-kun, its a secret wing of ANBU created by the Nidaime Hokage and run by myself to protect Konoha's interests." The mummy spoke calmly as his one eye pierced his._

"_What do i have to do with any of this." Shikamaru asked warily. He had enough people butting into his life without adding another, especially an incredibly secret never heard of ANBU division kind of person._

"_Simple, you are the best of your generation." The man said as he stood up and took a file out handing it to Shikamaru._

_Shikamaru stared in disbelief at the file which contained all the information anyone would ever need including he noticed a medical file even dating when he started puberty. How close had they been watching him!? His face got red as it even contained pictures of him in various states of dressed all with analysis on body fat and muscle development._

"_We have been watching you since your parent's assassination by Suna." The old man replied correctly interpreting his look._

"_Did you have a hand in their murder." Shikamaru snarled clenching his file._

"_No, i for one wanted to reciprocate and kill one of their best or go to war. The Sandaime Hokage was too weak for that though...You agree on that matter... Correct?"_

"_Yeah.." Shikamaru answered warily. He certainly wanted Sand to pay. And the Hokage had blocked any such actions._

"_Root... is an organization that does that which can not ever see the light... such as seek revenge on Sand for their betrayal." _

"_So this is a recruitment speech." Shikamaru concluded._

_The man smiled briefly. "Correct. We want to train you in the way's of the real shinobi, not the flashy plain clothes but the ANBU hidden from the ANBU."_

"_Whats the catch?" Shikamaru asked as everything so far seemed to be set in the way his mind worked anyway, he despised the way the Hokage did things._

"_You would have to accept a seal to prevent you from speaking about us but other then that you just receive our training. If in the future we need your help with the Sandaime... I'm sure we can ask for it.."_

_Shikamaru looked around trying to think things through. He could always use another avenue of training. It would make his revenge a lot easier. However he was very suspicious. It was a little too convenient that this Root had watched him for this long and had no hand in either the assassination or with the dishonouring of the Nara._

"_I suppose I'm not allowed to go sleep on it?" Shikamara asked sardonically as his mind ran through different scenarios._

"_Ah, I'm afraid that we will have to erase your memory if you decline." The old man said sympathetically although Shikamaru could tell it was fake. He spent too much time around Sasuke to not know how a stoic person acted._

"_And if i accept."_

"_You will have the seal applied and after that you will call me sensei..I will teach you to one day take my place as leader of Root.. If you can handle it." Shikamaru could read between the lines enough to understand that if he proved unsuitable for that he would be killed._

"_And what should i call you right now." He asked buying time._

"_Shimura Danzou." Danzou stated dryly. "I am fairly certain you've never heard of me."_

"_I accept." Shikamaru said suddenly. He did know who Danzou was thanks to his uncle and some of his summons. And what he knew coincided with how he himself would act against enemies of Konoha.. Especially sand.. Except for the whole my shinobi are emotionless tools thing he had going for him according to his summons they were alike in ideology._

"_I am pleased that you made the right choice Shikamaru-kun, our training will begin tomorrow night, get used to getting less sleep." Danzou said unperturbed by the quick acceptance. The seal would ensure the young Nara would not blab about anything about himself or Root._

_Being branded on the tongue had hurt but it was worth it because as soon as he got home he summoned Gikunshi who promptly removed the seal while leaving the tattoo itself intact. He was now free to move however he wanted and take advantage of Root training while also free to hang Danzou if the old man made any moves to stop him or kill him._

_The first few months was simply him and Danzou sitting alone in a room playing shogi while discussing the state of Konoha and eventually the other elemental countries._

_Shikamaru was dismayed to find out in his studies after those lessons to find evidence that Danzou was telling the truth to find that if anything he was understating it._

_The Academy had been so watered down after the Kyuubi attack that academy students from other major and some minor villages would be easily able to take down fresh leaf genin._

_If not for Jiraiya Konoha had absolutely no intelligence operation outside of the land of fire._

_Many of the clans were keeping their strongest shinobi at home as Sarutobi sent more and more shinobi on dangerous missions trying to find his wife's killer. Shikamaru could empathize but would not forgive him for seeking revenge while allowing no one else that lost their loved ones the same. He was a hypocrite and he cared more for himself then Konoha._

_Shikamaru had admitted to himself that if it came between revenge or Konoha he would ultimately choose Konoha as no revenge would satisfy his ancestors if he had betrayed Konoha to get it._

_Apparently the Hokage saw it differently. Danzou was working to undermine him but the Fire Damiyo was firmly Sarutobi's man and without his support there was no legal way to depose the Hokage._

_Danzou never said it out loud but Shikamaru already figured there were plans in the making to kill the Sandaime. It had taken him several weeks of fighting with his conscience until he convinced himself Konoha needed that to happen and that the Sandaime had brought it on himself._

_He made sure to be even nicer to Naruto as he felt guilty over taking his grandfather away. Even though he was sure Sarutobi faked most of those emotions Naruto's emotions were real. _

_Eventually Danzou started training him in tactics, subterfuge and ninjutsu. He could honestly say he was stronger then any other genin in Konoha._

_Honestly though most of his improvement came from a Konoha genin working at the Konoha hospital who had stumbled upon the three of them training one day and had given them some sage advice. He usually showed up at least once a week for the last two years giving them advice and showing them some cool tricks. The best thing though was that thanks to his medical knowledge he had been able to help them kick start their muscle growth so that they could really get into Taijutsu training again. No matter what happened Yakushi Kabuto would always be a friend of them so they had all decided._

_Just before he made genin Danzou had called him in and informed him that except for scrolls he would get no more training until the time was right to start to groom him to take control over Root._

_It was too risky with the exposure Shikamaru would now face as he moved up the ranks. With a short good luck he was dismissed and led out of the root compound for the first time showed the way. He had been very surprised to find the Root base was underneath the Nara compound._

_Flashback no jutsu end._

* * *

"Yo." Came the voice from a jounin with gravity defying silver hair as he poked his head into the class room finding all of his three students staring off into space.

"Your late." Sasuke said clipped his eyes morphing into the sharingan threateningly.

Kakashi almost wanted to whip his own out and show the brat his was better but withstood the impulse and eye smiled patronizingly. "Ah, sorry i met a black cat on the way and had to take the other way around Konoha."

Shikamaru shuddered "Completely understandable your forgiven." He said with feeling as Naruto and Sasuke both put their hands on his shoulder comfortably.

"Oookay." Kakashi said blinking that was a new response to one of his excuses. What he didn't know was that one of Shikamaru's stronger summons was a small shadow cat. With the personality of Anko..On drugs..

"Anyway meet me on the roof you group of weirdo's." Kakashi said with a wave as he shunshined out.

"Where does he get off calling US weirdo's?" Naruto complained affronted. He had gravity defying silver hair was holding a porn book in his hand and was over 3 hours late.

"Let's just go." Shikamaru sighed as he stood up. This sensei of there's was going to be all kinds of troublesome he just knew it.

As they reached the roof the sweat dropped as Kakashi was sitting on the edge reading his porn giggling like a school girl.

"Yeah.. WE" RE weird.." Naruto mumbled crossing his arms.

Kakashi waved his hand towards them nonchalantly. "Sit and introduce yourselves little children. The stupid short one first."

Shikamaru and Sasuke both kept a straight face as Naruto stood still waiting for either of them to start before he compared heights and blew a gasket. "Porn-Sensei I'm gonna kill you!" He raged as he rushed Kakashi.

Just as Kakashi was about to smack the little brat in the face he stopped on the spot. Kakashi raised an eyebrow as the Nara released his jutsu that had stopped the blonde brat in his rush.

"Just do it Naruto." Shikamaru ordered not willing to deal with a possible kyuubi hater allowing Naruto to attack him and then discharge him from the shinobi services for attacking a superior.

Naruto sat down huffing angrily. "Name's Uzumaki Naruto of the famous Uzumaki's, I love Ramen my friends Anko and Kurenai-sensei and even Stupid Keibi-Uncle. And one day I'm going to be the best HOKAGE EVER DATTEBAYO!"

"Very... colourful." Kakashi commented while inwardly pleased that at least the little brat had some friends. As much as he didn't want to deal with him he was happy he hadn't had a miserable life.

"Duck hair next."

Sasuke scowled as he reached out and smacked a laughing Naruto over the head. "I'm Uchiha Sasuke and i will restore the Uchiha name and find my brother."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow at that. That was the complete opposite of the reports on the moody avenger Uchiha he had read.

With a nod he motioned for Shikamaru to go.

"I'm Shikamaru Nara i will find who killed my parent's and one day take my fathers old position as Jounin commander of Konoha and Clan head of the Nara clan." Shikamaru said fiercely.

"Hard to be a jounin commander when you belong to a traitorous clan." Kakashi said with an eye smile as he closed his book with a snap.

Shikamaru just scoffed at him as Sasuke and Naruto both glared at the Jounin for disrespecting Shikamaru's dreams.

"Training ground 7 in 10 minutes or you get sent back to the academy kiddos." Kakashi called out as he abruptly lent backwards and fell off the roof.

With a scoff Shikamaru summoned three large ravens some of Gikunshi's nephews. "Hey we need a ride do you mind?"

"Of course not Shikamaru." The oldest one said happily. They were nothing like Gikunshi at all.

Without hesitation both Naruto and Sasuke climbed up on the back of their Ravens as they took off.

Kakashi scowled up at them as they landed just a minute later and got off the summons backs with grins. "Alright so you got here...Now you have to take these." He said as he held out two bells. "You have one hour to take these two or you get sent back to the academy." He eye smiled at them again. "Only those with a bell get to become shinobi."

"Bullshit." Shikamaru called confidently. "All genin teams are four man teams with one Jounin and three genin."

"Ahh we just so happen to have a genin from a previous year who's team mates have died and he needs two new ones, your the lucky ones." Kakashi said with a dark chuckle.

Sasuke chuckled darkly. "What are the limitations?"

Kakashi eyed him weirdly. "Come at me with everything you got even killing moves should you have them."

Sasuke grinned something which was mirrored in all three genin. "So basically if we kill you we will be considered good enough to stay together AND get a sensei that's not late and porn addicted?" Sasuke asked.

"Eh.. sure." Kakashi said scratching his head. These genin were really weirding him out. They really were as cocky as he thought though if they believed they could kill him."Give me everything you got starting NOW." He called out.

As he expected they all immediately took off to make a battle plan. Unexpected though were all the bunshin they had running different directions at the same time. He couldn't even scent the real ones which was unusual. And very skilled for simple genin. _Impressive but not going to be enough.._

As soon as they got to a fair distance away Shikamaru sighed and under the demanding looks of his team mates he summoned the worst summon in his register. Normally none of them would even think of this but they apparently would have to show some serious skills here. None of them believed their sensei fully but they weren't taking the chance he was speaking the truth either.

With a puff of smoke a black cat the size of a dog with shining purple eyes appeared squeeing loudly and throwing herself on Shikamaru. "Oh thank the heavens my love you have summoned your personal sex kitten to please yourself finally, i have thought of you for months preparing myself for the day you will ravish me fully."

She turned her head and noticed Sasuke and Naruto who both grimaced. "Sasu and Naru you better be ready as soon as i finish off my love I'll take care of you two hard and rough just as naughty boys deserve it!"

"Tajou-chan we need help beating our evil sensei that's trying to convert us to his porn loving ways." Shikamaru said cringing as he spoke. Dear Kami he hated summoning her but she was way too useful in combat not to. Why a cat would want what she wanted from him he didn't know but he was way too scared to ask.

"Mou Shikamaru sounds like your sensei is a good man trying to teach you the joy's of porn, why i myself have drawn several hundreds of stories starring us if you'd like to see?" Tajou replied with a paw to her blushing face.

"Yaoi porn Tajou-chan." Shikamaru said with gritted teeth as he glared at Naruto and Sasuke, he had told them this was useless but nooo they wanted her genjutsu and shapeshift abilities.

Tajou shapeshifted to her preferred form of a woman loosely based of that delightful Anko woman and looked at Shikamaru then she turned towards Sasuke and Naruto then she looked at Shikamaru again. Suddenly she started to drool chanting do it do it do it yaoi! Under her breath.

Shikamaru dismissed her with a disgusting feeling of bile on its way up. "I told you she would never go for it she is only going to do anything if we are under an actual threat." Shikamaru grumbled.

Naruto squatted as he looked around sharply. "It was worth a shot dattebayo!"

Sasuke who had his sharingan active scanning the tree canopy turned towards them again. "What's plan B?"

Shikamaru sighed as he started drawing in the dirt with his finger. "Ok this is what we are going to do..."

* * *

As Kakashi found another clearing filled with just bunshins he let out an irritated huff. He had figured he could track the kids by footprints or other signs left as they hurriedly escaped from him. But he had found nothing but a bunch of academy bunshin and no traces at all of the genin. He was almost tempted to bring Pakkun out.

As soon as he felt a chakra flare a few hundred feet to his left he jumped off and started heading there knowing that whatever trap they were trying to bait him into would fail against his skills. He could have stayed and waited for them as they were the ones who needed the bells but honestly he wanted to see what they had for skills.

As he entered the clearing he was surprised to see all three genin standing there in a loose formation waiting for him. They hadn't even prepared a trap for him. He was feeling very disappointed and casual y brought his book out as he walked forward. "Aren't you kiddos supposed to be doing something?"

"Why even bother against such a useless sensei as you porn-sensei" Naruto taunted and stuck his tongue out.

Kakashi rolled his eyes at that pathetic attempt at enraging him and drawing him close. So they did want him closer then, they must have trapped the ground there. With a smile Kakashi jumped back to the treeline standing just under a large tree.

"Fell for it." Sasuke said grinning as he started hand seals. "Katon:Gokakyu no jutsu. (Fire release: Great fireball technique.)"

Kakashi stared at the giant flaming fireball of death that was coming towards him. Was that really all they could do?

Suddenly behind him the tree canopy turned into an entire wall of black as a pack of wolves with red eyes melted out of the ground and trees and blended together into a solid wall.

Before Kakashi could simply jump out Shikamaru slammed his hands into the ground yelling out. "Kageikkaku no jutsu. (Shadow enclosure jutsu)" And from underneath Shikamaru just behind him another wall rose up out of the ground and lightning quick reached out and connected with the wall behind Kakashi connecting to the sides of Kakashi locking him in.

_That's why they did that childish taunt? They expected me to think that they were trying to lure me closer when in fact they wanted me to back off more to give Shikamaru more safety in pulling off his jutsu in time. Now they are locked in with me though.._

As Kakashi processed that with the speed of a war veteran Naruto cried out. "Fuuton: Daitoppa. (Wind release: Great breakthrough.)" And greatly sped up the fireball from Sasuke and widening it to a wide wall of flaming death with no space to slip out. It didn't matter that the three genin where locked in with him because they were on the other side of the rapidly closing flame wall.

_Damn it I'm starting to actually like these cocky brats. _He thought with a smile as he sunk into the ground.

"He got out through the ground." Shikamaru grunted as he released the jutsu sweating slightly. That jutsu took quite a bit of chakra.

"Did it work." Sasuke asked as he looked around muscles tensed wondering where their sensei would rise up.

"No.. He sunk into the ground before i could sneak a shadow in to take the bells." Shikamaru admitted.

"Plan C then!" Naruto shouted eagerly as he flared a massive amount of chakra before crying out. "DOTON: YOMI NUMA! (Earth release: Swamp of the underworld.)"

With a curse Kakashi flung himself out of the earth as he did not want to be caught underneath the ground when it turned into a chakra fuelled swamp. How the hell did Naruto know an A rank Doton technique though.

As he landed in a tree he gaped at the entirely normal ground. _What the hell?_

"Kagemane no jutsu. (Shadow possession jutsu.)" Came the calm voice from below him. "Sasuke get the bells, Naruto if he looks like he's making a single move to get out of the jutsu knock him out." Shikamaru ordered as he held Kakashi in place.

"I see... Naruto yelled out the jutsu to get me up but he can in fact not do the jutsu so all the chakra flaring was just to make me believe you." Kakashi stated as Sasuke grabbed the bells from his belt.

"Exactly. We win sensei. Now we all pass or we cut your balls off okay?" Naruto said with a creepy smile.

Everyone stared at Naruto disturbed even Shikamaru and Sasuke. "What!" Naruto defended himself. "Its a habit you get when Anko-sensei is around you a lot."

"Hmm I see one problem however." Kakashi said pleasantly.

"What's that?" Sasuke asked suspiciously as he fingered a kunai.

"I'm not me." Kakashi said with an eye smile before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

"Damn it Sasuke i thought you said he wasn't a bunshin?" Shikamaru yelled in frustration.

Sasuke growled as his Sharingan scanned the area. "From what i could tell he was real, he had a chakra network for kami's sake!"

"Its called the Kagebunshin no juts. (Shadow clone jutsu.)" Kakashi said pleasantly as he knocked Sasuke out with a quick chop to the neck.

"Naruto get Sasuke and regroup I'll hold him off!" Shikamaru yelled as he threw a brace of shuriken to restrict the movement of Kakashi.

Naruto was about to rush in to snap Sasuke up when Kakashi simply disappeared leaving only an afterimage behind and met Naruto knee to head. Naruto immediately fell to the ground unconscious from the forceful hit.

"Damn it." Shikamaru growled as he drew on some more of the darkness shrouding himself in shadows making it harder to knock him out with one hit. He needed to get to his teammates and get them up again.

"Hello genius.. Meet force." Kakashi called out cheerily as he simply powered through his defences and buried his fist in his stomach forcing Shikamaru to his knee's coughing and spluttering. "Nighty nite." And then he received a chop to the neck and was out of the game.

Kakashi sighed as he rubbed his head and looked at the unconscious genin. "Damn they got teamwork down to a tee, makes me a bit proud that they have already learnt what i hadn't."

He started collecting his sleeping little students and proceeded to tie them all up to posts as he sat down with his favourite literature to wait for them to wake up.

* * *

"Wake up you sloth!"

Shikamaru came too like he had so many times before, with Naruto's aggravating loud voice in his ear. Blinking blearily he noticed they were all tied to poles as their Sensei sat next to the memorial stone watching them. Apparently Sasuke and Naruto had both been awake for a few minutes already and were getting annoyed by his continued unconsciousness.

Kakashi snapped his book shut and stood up. "Good you are all awake."

He started marching back and forth looking each of them in the eye. "I want to make something clear... I don't want students. I can't stand kids. I hate the mere idea of teaching you."

They all scowled at that thinking he was going to fail them even after all that effort.

"However. You showed me one thing that made me change my mind... The Hokage has ordered me that you shall pass, but i was simply going to pass you arrive late all the time and ignore you." Kakashi continued.

"I learned something a long time ago.. Those who don't follow the rules are trash... But those who abandon a team mate is worse then trash." He stared at them for a few seconds.

"My team mate told me that after i had abandoned another teammate to be tortured, raped and killed."

The genin stared at him horrified. Kakashi ignored them as he walked over to the memorial stone. "He finally got through to me and together we rescued my other teammate. However he still died on that mission and she died eventually as well..."

"The only reason i will train you.. Is because even when a superior force was decimating you each one of you had only one thought on your mind. Get my team and get out." Kakashi said staring at them seriously.

Holding up three kunai he tossed them severing the ropes. "Starting tomorrow at this training ground at 6.00 sharp... Team 7 will start."

He ignored the three genins cheering as he turned back towards the memorial stone. _Obito... Rin... you would have loved these kids.._

* * *

At a rice field in the middle of the land of vegetables Jiraiya stood a serious look on his face as he faced down his old teammate.

He had spent the last two years training furiously while hunting missing nin for life and death fights pushing himself harder and harder. It was pure coincidence that he had run into Orochimaru here. As much as he hated it he would have to let the snake go as the invasion still needed to happen. However if he could cut off an arm or two that would certainly make him feel better.

"I hear you couldn't defend dear Tsunade?" Orochimaru hissed out eyes dancing in maliciousness.

Jiraiya shrugged face set in stone. "I will be the last sannin today."

"Ku ku ku, you are very confident Jiraiya." Orochimaru hissed out venomously. He looked at his face which was covered in new scars and the burns that covered all of his right side just barely missing his eyes. "Then again you've survived some very impressive bouts haven't you since i last saw you."

"You like to talk don't you." Jiraiya said calmly not at all bothered by his scars. Not much bothered him anymore.

Orochimaru floundered for a moment tongue coming out licking his lips as his eyes darted around. The Snake sannin was not sure about his chances, he had always been able to enrage Jiraiya easily making the fight more straight forward. This new Jiraiya however seemed a lot colder and more calculating.

"If dying is your goal i will achieve it!" He hissed as he brought forth Kusanagi and launched himself against Jiraiya.

In one swift movement Jiraiya dropped down and slammed a paper covered with seals down onto the ground while throwing a snap kick up.

Orochimaru landed hard twenty feet away his jaw aching. He stood up enraged. Jiraiya had summoned a steel pillar which his Kusanagi had not been able to cut completely through as he hadn't expected to have to cut through that big of a target. And to boot as he found himself stuck Jiraiya's leg had come up nailing him in the jaw from the side of the pillar. Thankfully he had managed to keep hold of the Kusanagi.

When he looked over he shivered slightly at the dangerous feeling Jiraiya was giving off with the elder toads on his shoulders. Without even having to think about it he quickly shed his skin and escaped underground. He had no wish to risk a battle this close to his final revenge on Konoha. Thankfully his sensei and Jiraiya had a falling out so he didn't need to worry about Jiraiya at the invasion.

With Jiraiya and Ma and Pa. "He slithered away again." Pa said stroking his chin.

Jiraiya scoffed. "He is nothing if not a survivor."

"he probably feels that he doesn't have to worry about you anymore what with you and Sarutobi being at odds." Ma said delicately.

The toads supported Jiraiya fully and at this moment if he was to die the toads would not be a Konoha exclusive contract anymore.

"Sensei.." Jiraiya spat on the ground. "I will not let you ruin the Senju legacy... For Tsunade and Konoha's sake."

_Flashback no jutsu_

"_Jiraiya.. Oonoki took the bait and attacked Orochimaru's bases... Which you should have already been doing." Sarutobi said discontentedly as Jiraiya entered the office._

_Jiraiya just stared at his sensei. Finally Sarutobi got tired of the silence and snapped. "Well what's you and Tsunade's excuse?"_

_Jiraiya suddenly started laughing hysterically as he walked up to the desk. With dark eyes and a sneer on his face he slammed a scroll down on the desk. "Tsunade would send her greetings but you killed her you damn fool!"_

_Sarutobi stared down at the scroll used to transport corpses in horror. "What!? Stop joking around Jiraiya its not funny!"_

_Jiraiya screamed in pure rage as he broke the Hokage's desk in half. "You killed her you senile old monkey! You knew she had retired and yet you forced her to fight a Jinchuuriki in full control of his transformation!"_

"_Sarutobi felt tears falling down his cheeks but ignored them as he stood up. "At least she completed her final mission." He stated solemnly._

_Jiraiya stared at him like he had never seen him before. Before Sarutobi could enquire what was wrong the toad sannin screamed again and with a fully visible chakra aura punched Sarutobi in the face._

_As his four ANBU bodyguards rushed in to attack Jiraiya Sarutobi sat up blinking in chock touching his broken nose. "Stop!" He yelled through the blood._

_As his ANBU froze Jiraiya simply scoffed and walked away._

"_Don't you dare walk away Jiraiya! I am your HOKAGE and I ORDER YOU TO STAY RIGHT THERE!" Sarutobi screamed._

_With one last look at his sensei a look filled with loathing Jiraiya spoke. "Fuck you."_

_Only by the combined might of Homura Koharu and Danzou had he not been made a missing nin. Danzou had been enraged he had risked the plan like that but Jiraiya had to see for himself that his sensei had really fallen so far that he deserved to die. Now he had no doubt at all._

_The kami no shinobi would fall by his hands._

_Flashback no jutsu end._

* * *

My oh my even Orochimaru doesn't want to play with sage mode. And we will get a whole year of Team Kakashi and Team Gai all graduated at the same time... Wacky hijincks are sure to happen.

I hope you enjoyed and i promise I'll attempt to give a chapter every two weeks from now on when my vacation ends this weekend. I won't be able to crank out chapters as often now.

Let me know what you think, love it? hate it? Think it would go better with a PB and J?

And yes... In my story Anko really is that perverted and crazy. I like her like that. She is so well suited for it.

For now Ja Ne.


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